


Terminal State

by rain0205



Series: Words Are Weapons [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action/Adventure, Addiction, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Attending, Canon-Typical Violence, Charge nurse, Comrades, Doctor/Patient, Doctors & Physicians, Emergency Medicine, Emergency room, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hospitals, Identity Reveal, Illnesses, Love, Magic, Medic - Freeform, Medical Procedures, Medicine, Minor Violence, Mystery, Mystery Character(s), Nurses & Nursing, Pain, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Struggle, Surgery, Terminal Illnesses, Tragedy, Violence, identity crisis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-06-15 13:47:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 46
Words: 198,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15414285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rain0205/pseuds/rain0205
Summary: She tried leaving, submerging herself in work to escape the horrors she had seen. The horrors she kept seeing. She never wanted to go back to that life, but when the Empire takes her home she's forced to face her past. Can she move on? Can she cope? Or will she require a bit of help? still bad at summaries, still working on it. ever so slightly more than slight AU gadioxoc





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hey there. this started floating around in my head. hope you like it. I own nothing of any final fantasy

The stagnant odour of vomit entered the room as the monitors beeped in a frenzy. Humming lights were drowned out by the sounds of retching and screaming. The man on the bed was done emptying his stomach of bile and began to spasm. Nurses piled in to hold him down, pushing medication through the intravenous tube attached to his arm. The temperature in the air was rising from the many warm bodies inside. They yelled orders in a frantic attempt to calm down their patient. His screaming persisted, the monitors joining in as they whined in despair. The gurney shook, making the room feel as if it were undergoing a tremor. Then it was silent.

A pair of hazel eyes looked around, observing the now-sedated patient. He was completely bald, overweight, and pale, with eyebrows that were furrowed in pain. The oxygen mask under his nose eased his troubled breathing and he glowed in the light, skin coated in a thick sweat. His rounded face had been lowered into a flat position, making his extra chins smooth back out into a neck. The man's arms were limp and red from his earlier struggle. Nurses and cleaning staff had moved to clean the vomit from around him and sterilized where it had seeped onto the floor. The monitors showed that he was stable but what would happen when he woke up?

Dr. Virum looked down at her scrubs, covered in the man's bile. She could feel it in her hair, and as she did her eyes shot toward the clock. Her shift was nearly over and all she would have to do is write up the paperwork for this patient, clean up, and go home. Virum grabbed a disinfecting cloth to clean her skin and face, then ran her hands through the alcohol-based hand dispenser and rubbed them together. Once her hands were dry she grabbed his chart, noting the man's health issues. She looked back at the patient thoughtfully, grabbing her pen from the pocket of her lab coat. It, too, was covered in vomit. She sighed, threw the pen in the garbage, and walked toward the nurse's station to grab one of the pens there.

"You reek," said the resident nurse sitting at her computer, "What do you have for me?"

"48 year-old male presents with severe abdominal pain, dehydration and shortness of breath. Set up oxygen, administered fluids and it resulted in rejection. All over me," she said, signing off on the chart and handing it to the nurse, "Patient was very anxious and began to seize, pushed three milligrams lorazepam. Anxious behaviour continued, so we gave him two milligrams of ketamine. Patient is sedated and resting. I'm ordering a CBC, an EKG, and a stool sample."

"You got it."

"You'll have to transfer him, my shift is over."

The nurse looked at her watch, "So it is. Are you actually planning to go home this time?"

"I think so. Getting puked on was definitely a sign I shouldn't be here this long."

The nurse laughed, "I praise you. Try and get some sleep, okay? You look like a zombie."

"You look pretty too. Have fun."

Virum hurried away, hoping to escape the hospital before another patient arrived. She wasn't so lucky.

"Incoming!" another nurse yelled.

Virum looked behind her as the doors burst open. Two paramedics were wheeling in a stretcher with an unconscious young girl on it. Her neck was in a brace and the medics were squeezing oxygen from a bag into a tube running through a hole in the girl's neck. She wasn't breathing on her own. Close behind them was the girl's mother, frantically following the stretcher. An orderly kept the hysterical woman out of the treatment room her daughter was brought into.

"Talk to me," Virum said as firmly as possible.

"13 year-old female, car accident, GCS: eight, blunt trauma to the sternum, not breathing, severe blood loss," answered the medic.

"Alright, transfer her on my count."

They put a bed right beside the stretcher, the paramedics on one side with the doctor, three nurses on the other side. Another nurse continued to pump oxygen from the bag. They gripped the backboard tightly, getting ready to lift.

"One, two, three!"

It only took a few seconds to hoist the girl onto the gurney. The paramedics quickly got their stretcher out of the way as the nurse continued on oxygen duty. After getting her hooked up to the monitors, they noticed she had a dangerously elevated heart rate. Virum ordered the nurses to find some medication to slow it down, then gave directions to the head nurse.

"Prep the operating room, her lungs are crushed and we need to relieve that pressure. Grab some blood from the bank and replace what was lost. Fill in the mother and do a full follow up with the relief doctor."

"Yes ma'am," said the nurse.

Porters came to wheel the bed out of sight with the mother following behind like a hawk. Virum sighed again, taking off her gloves and putting her hands through another round of sanitizer. She walked out of the treatment room in near defeat. What a day it had been. Most of it had been so quiet, with the usual mix of drug-seekers and hypochondriacs. She should have known it would get hectic later on. Vomit crusted the top of her head and the thought of it made her cringe. Dr. Virum finished signing off on the paperwork and handed it to the same charge nurse.

"Get out of here," the nurse said.

"Already gone," the doctor replied, hands up in defeat.

Virum walked toward the locker rooms as quickly as she could, definitely unwilling to get pulled into another job. She didn't even register the people she passed, the exhaustion of sixteen hours of work finally settling in. Graveyard shift was bad, and even more so when she ended up working until mid-afternoon. But then, if she were at home she would just be finding an excuse to come in any way. It wasn't like she had any sort of life beyond her work. Virum walked into the locker room, nodding at the doctor coming to relieve her. The two didn't speak, the look on her face suggesting she was in no mood for talk. Not like she ever really was any day. She punched in the combination to her locker, opened it, and took out a change of clothes. Grabbing her personal cleaning supplies and a towel, she headed into the showers.

Steam billowed out from the stall almost immediately. A blissful sigh escaped her once the scalding water touched her skin, turning it red instantly on contact. Her eyes closed once she was surrounded by the heat, providing her with the long sought-after comfort only achieved in such a scorching environment. Moments like these were peaceful, allowing her to lose herself and chemically recalibrate her mind. They were never long enough, and it was with agonizing regret that she forced herself to leave the tranquillity of the shower's warmth.

The doctor ran the towel over her head after getting out, drying her hair and face off a bit and then wrapping it around her tiny frame. She grabbed her fresh clothes and took them to the counter where the sink was. The mirror was a bit foggy, but not enough to hide the reflection that stared back at her. Layers of hair reached to just under her chin. It was a light dirty brown, with blond highlights running through it. Her skin was pale and her eyes were bloodshot with dark circles smeared under them. The zombie comparison made more sense now. Even the scar running from her mid-neck down her collarbone stood out more than usual. Her gaze bore into it for a few moments, her head awash with unwanted memories before she tore her eyes away from the mirror with disgust.

The towel was fairly time consuming, so she grabbed a blow dryer to get it over with quicker. It didn't take long and now the hair flared out from her face, covering the back of her neck. She dried off the rest of her body and slipped on her jeans, socks and boots that ran up to her mid-calf. Pulling on the long sleeved v-neck shirt, her eyes searched for her most important item. She removed the pendant she had worn during her shower, a silver chain with a disc encircling a tree. Her leaf-shaped earrings returned to their rightful place, at the base of her ears where they tended to dangle and move with her head. The rest of her earrings - a dragonfly in her left ear, an anchor at the top of her right ear, and a silver hoop in her right earlobe - never needed to be removed. She applied the light coating of makeup she usually wore, in a vain attempt to look more lively if anything. Virum looked herself over and at last packed up her things, satisfied that she at least looked less zombie-like than before.

She placed her bag in her locker and pulled out her purse. The satchel-like bag was placed over her shoulder, the bottom of the bag hugging her right hip. Next came her grey and black striped fingerless gloves, and then she put her arms through her black form-fitting light leather jacket. The locker door was closed with a bit of a slam before making sure it locked and then walked briskly out of the room. Virum was passing by the emergency department, ready to make the break to her car when the charge nurse stopped her.

"The Bossman needs you," said the nurse.

Virum frowned. "What about?"

"He didn't say."

She sighed. "Thanks, Gin."

The nurse nodded, turning back to her desk as the boss arrived at the nurse's station.

"Leaving?" he asked. He was a stocky man, balding on the top of his head and sported a mustache - although it didn't fit him at all.

"End of shift, sir," she said in her most pleasant voice, "I've been here sixteen hours."

"I need you to go to the Citadel," he said, completely unaffected by her words.

"What? Why?"

"They need a doctor to fill in there, being short staffed with the war and all. You're the only one we can spare."

"But sir," she protested, "I just finished a sixteen-hour shift. You had all that time to find a relief for me."

"I know, but the King asked and you know I can't say no."

"Why can't another doctor do it? Or even yourself? I specifically requested to never work at the Citadel."

"To be perfectly honest, Doctor Puinon asked for you."

Virum sighed, "Very well."

"I'll switch your morning shift tomorrow to the afternoon if I can. I'm sorry, but… King's orders."

"Yeah… " she replied dryly.

The Boss nodded and walked away. Virum groaned, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before she begrudgingly left the hospital and headed toward her car. She started the engine, put on her seat belt, and then nearly collapsed on top of the steering wheel. Fatigue wore away at her and she knew that there was no way the Boss was going to move her shift to the afternoon tomorrow. He knew she was a total pushover, that she would work 24/7 if allowed to. But her body was protesting. At least at the Citadel there usually weren't any emergencies, just Kingsglaive and Crownsguard getting a few bumps and bruises during training. She might even be able to relax a little for once. With that fresh excuse in her mind, Virum pulled her head up and began the drive to her third consecutive shift.

There was no trouble at the gate, her hospital badge allowing Virum to enter with ease. The overenthusiastic guard had known she was coming and directed her to the closest parking lot. She thanked him with a smile, not having the heart to tell him that she already knew where she was going. Puinon's usual spot wasn't taken, so she parked her car there. He obviously wasn't going to use it and she had no desire to drive around looking for a free space. Virum then opened up her trunk, grabbing the spare work clothes she kept packed inside. Yeah, she was definitely a workaholic. On her way toward the clinic she stopped in at the cafeteria, grabbing herself a small latte. Ordinarily, she didn't put caffeine in her body but given how long she'd been working, her willpower wasn't up to its usual standards.

The Citadel was buzzing with all kinds of workers. There were easily close to a thousand people living there, including the King and his son. Although she had heard his son no longer lived there, she was sure he visited on occasion. Virum hadn't met with any of the royals or their Kingsglaive and Crownsguard in quite some time, nor did she want to either. Not anymore. She walked the familiar path toward the clinic, ignoring the memories within her that wished to resurface. That life was behind her. The doctor walked into the entrance of the clinic and reported to the nurse's station. The charge nurse looked way too happy. It must have been early in her shift still. Virum tried to not look too envious as she allowed the nurse to lead her to the changing room.

Virum spent the first four hours mostly sitting around, tending to a couple of sprained ankles and one broken arm. She was happy with that, using the extra time to finish up the paperwork that she was falling behind on from the emergency department. The nurses in the clinic were very thorough with their examinations and didn't need Virum's guidance very often. At least she had been right about this being an easy shift. She even got a couple of short naps in between patients and managed to finish the backlog of hospital work that she didn't even have to do, with only an hour before she could go home. Something she heard one of the nurses say made her frown. They were speculating as to whether or not the rumours about her were true, apparently unaware that she could hear them. This was why she liked working in the emergency department over at the hospital. Everyone there was far too busy to gossip and the few that already knew about her past didn't bother to share it.

"Doctor, we have another patient for you," said one of the nurses, coming in to hand over a clipboard with a chart.

Dr. Virum smiled sweetly at the woman as she walked to the patient's room, hiding the irritation she had felt from overhearing them. She closed the door behind her, not even looking up and grabbed her pen to correct mistakes written by the nurse. Down went the chart and on went her gloves after washing her hands before she picked up the chart again, still not looking up.

"Okay, 23 year-old male presenting with a head wound and possible concussion," she muttered, mostly to herself, "Cause of injury: sparring. We _definitely_ haven't had a lot of that today."

"Not here of all places!" she heard someone say, laughing.

Virum placed the chart down and looked up. There were four men in the room, three seemingly uninjured and one with the laceration. On the right of the patient was the smallest of them. He was the one that had spoken, his face red under the eyes that were freckled. The unruly blond hair on his head gave him a more youthful appearance. On the left was a more stern-looking man, with sharp features accented by the glasses clinging to his face and dirty blond hair swept up at the front. He had green eyes and was dressed quite formally. Standing just slightly in front of him was a boy she recognized from the pictures to be Prince Noctis, the son of King Regis. He had a mess of navy hair with angular blue eyes and a sullen look on his face.

The patient of the group was by far the largest of them. Even sitting down he towered over the other three. His arms were as thick as small tree trunks and covered in tattoos. His hair was shaved at the sides but spiky on top as well as long at the back. He sported a beard around his jaw and gentle amber eyes. Although he was smiling, his mountainous form still made him quite intimidating. The laceration was on his left eye, starting from his forehead and reaching diagonally down to stop just under his cheekbone. It looked like he'd been lucky; managing to miss his eye socket. It had been cleaned previously, which meant he was only here as a precaution. Virum walked over to him, taking his chin in her hands, her hazel eyes scrutinizing the injury. While it was unlikely to be necessary, she wanted to make sure there was no damage to his actual eye. She let his face go then, taking a step back.

"Okay, Mr..." she glanced at the chart, "Amicitia. Want to tell me what happened?"

"He wounded his pride, that's what," said the boy on his right, giggling.

"Prompto," the stern man spoke with a warning tone.

"We were sparring and I won," explained Prince Noctis with evident pride.

"He got the best of me this round," added the patient, "Iggy already cleaned it up but he said I was better off coming here,"

"Well, Iggy was right to be careful," she agreed, "I'll also compliment him on how well he cleaned it," she placed the stethoscope on his chest and commanded, "Breathe."

Amicitia complied and continued to do so with all of her wishes during his examination. There appeared to be no obstruction in the lungs or airways. Satisfied, Virum removed the stethoscope and placed it around her neck once more. Carefully, she placed her hands underneath his chin to feel for any sort of swelling or tenderness. He didn't react and she took that to be a good sign. The next thing to be examined were the lymph nodes, where she felt some abnormalities. But they were faint and nothing to worry about. She ran her penlight once over his right eye, then carefully opened his left eye and ran it over that. The results were conclusive with the swelling she had found in the rear of his head.

"Follow my finger with only your eyes," she instructed.

Virum held up her left index finger and moved it from left to right slowly. His amber eyes followed her more so than her finger. She managed to keep a straight face in spite of it. Virum then moved the finger up and down.

No issues there, so she prompted, "Now with your entire head," and repeated the movements, noting his the discomfort as he moved his head. She could only assume he was trying to put on a brave face for his friends in the room.

The report on the patient said that he had been given a potion after the sparring match and that he had a cut and a minor concussion. The laceration was very thoroughly cleaned, this Iggy character was very professional, but it would still need stitches to heal properly. The doctor picked up the chart and a pen before beginning to write.

"Mr. Amiticia—"

"Gladio," he corrected.

She smiled insincerely, "You have a small concussion and that cut of yours will need stitches. I need to prepare a few things, but then I'll be back to patch you up and send you on your way."

He grinned, "Thanks, Doc."

Virum nodded a little stiffly before exiting. She made the trip back to the nurse's station, clearly interrupting a conversation they'd rather she didn't hear.

"23 year-old male," she explained, "minor concussion, small laceration to his head on the left side. Can one of you please prepare the repair kit while I finish my report?"

"Yes ma'am," a nurse said at once, taking the chart and hurrying away.

After a glance at the other nurse - who was still staring at her - Virum went to the bathroom. Splashing water on her face was tempting, but her makeup was still mostly intact and she wanted to keep it that way for just a little while longer. Beats per minute in her heart was increasing thanks to the anxiety of the ensnaring gossip. But her hands had remained steady. Good, because once she was done stitching up the Crownsguard she could go home. That was the last time she would ever work 24 hours straight. As much as she loved immersing herself with the distraction of work, she did need time to try and sleep her usual hour or so here and there. Slapping her pale cheeks lightly, she took a large breath and willed herself to focus.

Virum walked back into Mr. Amicitia's room, his friend's joking comments stopping after she opened the door. She was about to pull up a stool but decided against it. Amicitia was much bigger than an average person. The nurse had laid out the tools she needed and stood at the side of the room, waiting for instructions. Dr. Virum grabbed a cotton swab and dipped it in the blue fluid, running it along the laceration gently, a numbing agent.

"Please be still," she advised.

He didn't move, so she began threading the first stitch through. The needle moved through the skin without a problem. The doctor could hear the young boy, Prompto, making noises while the Prince looked away uncomfortably. Iggy, however, was watching her with the same intensity that her patient was, although Virum was sure it was for different reasons. Iggy appeared to be trying to learn her technique while Mr. Amicitia was clearly just fawning on her. She largely ignored them both but was still a little distracted by the warm breath on her neck as she worked. It just reminded her that she was cold, she was always cold. Once she was finished, she cut the remaining thread before expertly tying it off. The doctor's pen came out one last time to write down a prescription.

"You're all set. Take this for the pain and try not to exert yourself for the rest of the week."

"Thanks, Doc," he said again, his fingers brushing against hers as she handed him the paper, "You wanna grab a beer?"

She swung around, looking at him incredulously. It was for only a very brief moment, as she smiled again.

"Sorry, I don't date patients."

"I'm discharged, remember?" he held up his prescription with a grin.

She took off her gloves and sanitized her hands, "I don't date Crownsguard," she spoke again before closing the door firmly behind her.

"Oh, swing and a miss big guy," said Prompto, laughing.

But Gladiolus's eyes didn't register defeat. He was still smirking at the door she had gone through, not even really hearing Prompto and Noctis laugh at him. As her words were spoken, there was only one thought on his mind. _Challenge accepted_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks. so I'm not a medic of any kind. I if I happened to mess up on something feel free to tell me. I'm going to try and be as accurate as I can with the helpful hints of magic. see you next time!


	2. Uneventful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back, thanks for reading

Gladiolus dismissed his greatsword, feeling a bit dizzy from the strike Crown Prince Noctis had managed to land on him. He could feel blood trickling down the left side of his face which he wiped away from his eye. There was minimal pain thanks to his adrenaline, and he was happy that the Prince was improving his skills. Stubborn as Noctis was about it, he had made progress over the years. Gladiolus shook his head slightly, seeing a few black spots. Ignis had walked over to administer a potion and have a look at his cut. He instructed the Shield to sit down and began to methodically clean the wound.

"First time in a while you drew blood," said Gladio to Noctis.

"And I caught it all on camera," Prompto boasted.

"Not for long you don't."

"What? Can't let anyone see you lose?" teased Noctis.

"I ain't finished yet."

"It was a good show nonetheless," said Ignis, trying to avoid an argument.

The Adviser kept to his work as the other three in the room continued to talk about what had just happened. It was unlike Gladiolus to let Noctis draw blood, though none of them seemed to worry about it too much. As Ignis continued his work he could see that the gash was deeper than he'd anticipated; his efforts wouldn't be sufficient enough. The large man would need treatment from a proper doctor in order to heal properly. Once the potion wore off there was no telling how the wound would start to affect him. Just the thought of going to the Citadel clinic was giving Ignis a headache. Gladio didn't like others working on him and the Adviser considered himself lucky to have gotten as far as he did.

"I'm afraid you'll need to finish your examination over at the clinic," he said tentatively.

"It doesn't feel that bad," Gladiolus protested.

"Perhaps not. But as you know, I am not a doctor," the look on the large man was going to prompt another excuse, so Ignis hastily added, "It's just a precaution."

Gladiolus observed his friend's stern gaze. If Ignis was saying he had to go, then he probably did and the Shield knew it would be futile to argue. No matter what protest he made, Ignis would have already considered it and come up with a counterpoint. Gladio stood up and, accepted the towel wiping his hands clean of the blood he had gotten on them. Ignis took that as a sign of consent. Perhaps there really was something wrong with the man if he didn't put up much of a fight.

Gladiolus shrugged, "Fine."

"Now this I gotta see!" exclaimed Prompto. 

The four men began their trek toward the Citadel clinic. The corridors were busting with Glaives, Crownsguard and staff busy with their work. Noctis did his best to hide his face, hating the attention he got while he was here, however, with a big man like Gladiolus wandering around it was fairly difficult to stay invisible. Prompto was even worse. His antics and bubbly enthusiasm were enough to draw dozens of eyes to them, a bundle of life trapped inside that tiny body and bursting to come out. Ignis often wore his look of grief at their shenanigans. For the most part, Noctis was able to make his way to the clinic with a minimal number of "Your Highnesses". After entering, a nurse immediately moved to escort Gladiolus. Seemed to be a slow day as usual. She led the injured man into an examination room almost immediately, followed close behind by the others, despite Ignis's protests. Prompto and Noctis were insistent upon seeing their egotistical friend actually admit that he'd made a mistake and been hurt, while Ignis knew it was best to leave him to be examined in peace. Maybe, Ignis thought, he should have suggested this course of action more strongly. Then again, how often did Gladio have an injury that required attention he didn't otherwise acknowledge? Curious.

The nurse took Gladiolus's vitals thoroughly as he recounted what had happened. She wrote the details down on a clipboard. It wasn't a very long story and the nurse took a better look at the cut with a thoughtful frown. She left the room afterward, assuring them that the doctor would be in momentarily. Gladiolus wasn't impressed with Prompto's teasing though he knew that revenge, properly planned, would be sweet. Their bantering stopped as the doctor walked into the exam room. Gladiolus's amber eyes observed the slender female who looked to be swimming in her lab coat. She was reading his chart, her eyes flickering over the paper with her head down. Her pen was writing on top of what he could only assume were the nurse's notes. When she was finished, she sanitized her hands and put on a pair of latex gloves.

The doctor looked up at them. Her dirty blond hair was pulled back into the smallest ponytail ever, sticking straight out. Most of her hair had fallen out of the ponytail it was meant to be in, the loose hair spreading halfway down her neck. She was thin, pale and nearly sick looking. There were large, dark bags under her hazel eyes as if she had been working for days on end without a break - which was odd here in the clinic. Gladio noted the scar that ran down from her neck and he couldn't see where it ended underneath her pink scrubs. But despite the hollow look of her appearance, he was struck by the underlying soul she seemed very desperate to hide. He found he was unable to look away from her, something about her drawing his full attention to her alone. She walked over to him, grabbing his chin gently with her gloved hands. The Shield kept his eyes trained on her as she looked intently at his injury, the aroma of sanitizer with a hint of vanilla filling his nostrils while she moved it head carefully. She let his face go, taking a step back and looking him over again.

"Okay Mr..." she took a quick look at the chart, "Amicitia. Want to tell me what happened?"

"He wounded his pride, that's what," said Prompto quickly laughing at his own words.

"Prompto," Ignis warned before Gladiolus could retaliate.

"We were sparring and I won," explained Noctis.

He seemed quite proud of himself about that. Gladiolus made a mental note not to let that happen again. Despite all the commentary, the doctor was still looking at him expectantly, her calm hazel stare calling his attention.

"He got the best of me this round," he said in a neutral tone, "Iggy cleaned it up, but he said I was better off coming here."

"Well, Iggy was right to be careful. I'll also compliment him on how well he cleaned it," she smiled slightly.

Gladiolus saw a small light in her dull eyes which caused him to mimic her. She took her stethoscope and got it ready for use, placing it on the left side of his chest first. The doctor gave him instructions which he followed without hesitation. Keeping his gaze on her the entire time she worked made it easy for him to see that despite the obvious sleep deprivation, she was very passionate about her job. Everything she did was precise and her touches were gentle around his wound. When she was finished she reached out, once again taking his chin in her small hands and moving his head toward the light. His amber eyes were only focused on that face while it critically observed him. Again a small light shone in her dull eyes as soon as she looked satisfied with something that she was staring at on him. It was hard to look away from it, completely mesmerizing. Once she released him, however, he blinked and followed her every movement as she walked to the door with his chart and sanitized her hands once more. Gladiolus continued to study her while she seemed completely oblivious to his very existence despite being her patient.

"Mr. Amicitia-"

"Gladio," he cut her off.

She smiled tiredly at him, "You have a small concussion and that cut of yours will need stitches. I need to prepare a few things, but then I'll be back to patch you up and send you on your way."

"Thanks, Doc," he grinned at her foolishly.

She nodded once and then left the room. Gladiolus's smile didn't leave his face once she was gone, but he was distracted by the young man standing to his right.

"Lucky you, hottie Doctor," said Prompto.

"Easy boy," said Noctis.

"Awfully young to procure a position in her station. Something to be admired," mused Ignis.

Gladiolus crossed his massive arms over his chest, "Think she was a combat medic."

"What makes you assume that?"

"The scar on her neck. Definitely from a blade."

"Aren't you observant," noted Noctis sardonically.

"Is that love I see in your eyes?" Prompto mocked him.

"You won't see much of anything once we get out of here if you keep it up," replied Gladiolus.

"Bet you can't get a date."

He grunted, "She's not some floozy in a bar, Prompto, she's a Doctor."

"Yup," his voice was cocky, "Already defeated."

Gladiolus was about to retort when the nurse walked into the room, bringing a tray of surgical tools and placing it in front of him. She waited in the room and shortly after the young doctor came back. The Shield smirked slightly as she sanitized her hands yet again and put on another set of latex gloves. She hesitated a moment and then walked up toward him. He watched her every movement, as she grabbed a cotton swab and dipped it into some blue fluid. Gently, she ran it along the cut which caused him to feel some pain there and then nothing at all.

"Please be still," she instructed, holding her tools in her hands.

He complied and she began to work, only feeling some pressure where his would was. Gladio studied her face as she worked, her eyes completely focused on her what she was doing. He wasn't seeing things, there truly was a small light shining in them. Completely unaware, he held a small crooked grin at it though she didn't seem to notice - not even when his eyes rolled over toward the scar. The rest of it was hidden by her scrubs, but it was definitely made by a blade. Not one that he could identify from Insomnia, but without actually knowing he could only guess. It was thick, probably bled a lot and could have killed her, definitely not something that happens by accident inside of the city. Gladio was curious as to how far down it ran, noting the small bumps that started to form on her neck. Odd, the temperature in here was overly warm and yet, she was cold. But his thoughts were interrupted by her moving away from him, coating his wound with that same blue liquid and then writing down a prescription.

"You're all set. Take this for the pain and try not to exert yourself for the rest of the week," she offered him that same tired smile.

"Thanks, Doc," he repeated himself, his fingers brushing against the plastic of her blue latex gloves. She nodded at him, turning her back and getting ready to leave. Damn you Prompto, "You wanna grab a beer?" he blurted the first thing he could think of.

His smile grew at the shock on her face as she whipped around to face him, but only if looked at closely could it have been caught.

"Sorry, I don't date patients," she didn't even laugh at him.

"I'm discharged, remember?" he held up the paper in his hand.

She smiled as she took off her gloves and sanitized her hands once more, "I don't date Crownsguard," she spoke in the same voice, closing the door behind her before he could say anything else.

"Oh, swing and a miss big guy," Prompto laughed at him.

Gladiolus's eyes grew thoughtful. That was an interesting thing to say. She wasn't even turning him down, merely his profession.

_Challenge accepted._

Somehow, he would break down her walls to at least figure out what she had against them.

...

The sky was red in anger, the wind blowing heavily and piercing her skin. There was devastation all around her, the ground shaking with every bit of fire that flew from the sky and hit the ground. She had trouble keeping her balance but managed to stay on her feet, running toward her comrades. Her bag was clutched to her body as if it were her life force - and in many ways, it was not only hers but those she was meant to treat. Legs pumped as fast as they could despite wishing to give out at the pure exhaustion coursing through her body. It was hard to maintain a pace, narrowly missing the oncoming attacks. She took a quick scan around her and pressed on.

She wasn't so lucky as to avoid everything. Something had finally managed to catch her and her body was sent flying across the ground, skittering and hitting every single bump along the way. Another body stopped the trek, the smell of blood and rotting flesh filling her nostrils. Screams echoed in her ears but she kept that bag clutched to her body. She coughed the dust that occupied her lungs, choking on the very air she needed to breathe. Pain exploded from head to toe but she forced herself to her knees, checking the pulse of the nearby body. Nothing. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she noted blood falling down her head and out of her nose, coughing once more in another failed attempt to breathe properly. She looked around in a haze, her eyes trying to focus on what was around her. Debris hit her from every angle but she could no longer feel it. She began to run again, high on her own adrenaline. Her vision blurred in front of her but she could hear her target. Just as the trail was ending she was struck by something unseen, knocking her to the ground and the wind out of her. She coughed, grasping for any sort of air to reach her. Arms trembled while being forced to push her up but they only let her collapse once more. More shots fired, her vision clearing up as she began to catch her breath. With the last of her willpower, she forced herself to her feet, her legs shaking as they struggled supported her own weight. She had the bag, hugging it to her body. The target was finally in sight and she took in a sharp breath, wincing at the pain.

A dark shadow blocked her way and at the speed she was going there was no way to stop herself from colliding with it. She nearly fell but managed to catch her balance. Her head snapped toward the source of another tremor, looking in horror at the gleaming red eye that was unleashed from the sky. It bore down upon her, shrinking her resolve. But she couldn't stop. The shine in her peripherals captured her attention away from the real threat. What a nuisance, there was no time for this. Weapon in hand, she took a defensive stance but her injuries were impairing her reflexes. It was a losing battle, her body barely able to handle the simple commands she gave it. She was nowhere near full power after all the damage she had taken, still only focused on the monster rampaging its way toward them. The gleam of an enemy blade was the last thing she saw as her body went limp.

Dr. Virum took a deep intake of breath, shaking out of her dream. Hands immediately went to her neck, the pain still fresh as if it had really happened. There was nothing there, no blood gushing out of it. With a sigh of relief, she rubbed her eyes before looking around her. She was in the doctor's lounge, at work. Looking down at her watch she sighed, noting her break was over and pushed herself up off the couch, swung her legs down, and stood up just a little too fast. Pushing through her head rush, it was evident she still needed a moment to fix herself so she went straight to the bathroom. The doctor observed herself in the mirror, noting that her eyes were a little bloodshot but the dark bags that usually hung beneath them were smaller than she had seen in a long while. Perhaps some of that sleep did a bit of good despite being troubled as usual. Gathering what resolve she had left she exited the room, ready for the remainder of her shift.

Putting on her lab coat, she walked into the emergency department of the hospital and straight toward the nurse's station, her hazel eyes scanning the room for the charge nurse on site. It was a quiet night, not unlike two weeks ago when she was shipped away to the Citadel. Virum logged into the computer, looking for anything outstanding. There was nothing. It was no wonder she was able to sleep her entire break, all was quiet within Insomnia. The resident nurse came back to her desk, busying herself in her own work. The doctor logged out of the computer, looking at the girl expectantly. She was an older woman, grey wisps of hair starting to poke their way out from the scalp. The glasses hung onto the end of her nose, her eyes focused on the chart in front of her. Crows feet surrounded the edge of her eyes, deeper lines in her face. Her scrubs were green and clean, showing how calm the evening had been.

"Doctor," the nurse looked up, handing her a chart.

"This might be the last time we have charts," she spoke dryly, looking over the paperwork.

"I'm surprised it's taken them this long."

"This is E.D, the highest turnover of patients, it's hard to replace it all digitally like they have everywhere else. Even the Citadel wasn't updated yet."

"How'd they get you in there anyway? After..." the nurse was uneasy about finishing that sentence.

"I was just doing an old friend a favour."

"You do too many favours. Take care of yourself to."

"No promises, Tash," Virum smiled, leaving the station and walking into the room.

56 year-old male, shortness of breath, coughing, sneezing, flu. Antibiotics. 27 year-old female, severed femur. Administered pain medication, mended bone. 2 year-old male, runny nose, scratchy throat, flu. Antibiotics. 39 year-old male, stage four lung cancer. Admitted, sent up to oncology. 87 year-old female, seizure, renal failure, cardiac arrest. Time of death, 19:03, organ donor. 22 year-old male, alcohol detox, small ethanol drip. Observation for 24 hours.

And thus the night went on like that. Only two of their rooms were ever full, no one was waiting for any sort of treatment. She knew what that meant, that this was simply a calm before the storm. There was a shit show coming and she was hoping that it would hold off until she was done her shift. Virum yawned as she finished filling in her paperwork and handed it off to the nurse. Only one more hour until her shift was over and she could maybe try sleeping again. Lady luck on her side, she was still only getting hit with more patients showing flu symptoms. It was that time of year when the temperature changed. She was given another chart by Tash, looking it over quickly and heading toward the room the patient was waiting in. She opened the sliding glass door, pulling back the curtain before stepping inside. The doctor routinely put on her latex gloves, looking up at her patient.

Virum recognized the young man, looking at her chart. 20 year old male, likely a sprained ankle. With a brow raised, she looked at the right ankle in question. It was definitely swollen, bruising surrounding the flesh that changed it from normal pigments into deep purples. He had it elevated on the gurney, the nurses issuing their exam before calling her in. His vitals were normal, everything was okay thus far. She walked over to the patient, gently touching the swollen and bruised area.

"Okay Mr. Argentum, what happened?" she asked, looking into his blue eyes.

"Went for a run and stepped on it funny," he explained in a light tone.

She looked at his hands, noting that there were scrapes and gravel on it.

"You fell."

"Yeah it kind of took me by surprise," he let out a small, nervous laugh.

"Do you fall often?"

"He's a regular clutz," a gruff voice answered from behind her.

Curious as to who walked into the room without her hearing it, she turned around only to meet the smiling face of Mr. Amicitia, her last patient two weeks ago. He was leaning on the frame of the door with a smug smirk on his face, arms crossed over his chest. She had to crane her neck to look up at him as he was quite massive at his full height compared to her. Instinctively her eyes went to the laceration she had stitched up, satisfied that it managed to heal even better than she thought. Virum met his amber eyes and his smile only grew, but it was for only a moment as she turned back toward her patient waiting expectantly for an answer. She noted that he shied away from her gaze and she wondered if it was because of the presence of his friend towering behind her.

"Mr. Argentum?" she inquired again, getting him to focus.

"Uh, n-no, I don't," he returned his attention back toward her.

"I'm going to take an x-ray of your ankle, can you please lay flat."

Prompto nodded at her and followed her instruction. The doctor called in a nurse to pull in the portable machine, Gladiolus being forced outside of the room. Virum and the nurse put on their protective apron and then took the picture. She observed the image, handing off her gear to the nurse and the machine being pulled out of the room. Gladiolus returned inside of the room and went to stand beside the patient, his eyes on her the entire time. She ignored him, bringing the digital image onto the screen before her while continuing to study it intently. There was no break so that was something good at least, the streak of her easy night continuing. She took some cleaning supplies, grabbing his hands and cleaning up the dirt from them in order to examine them better. He had minor scrapes, nothing serious at all. When she was done with that, she moved toward the ankle. Prompto grunted in pain as she applied pressure on the swollen parts. The doctor went to gather ice packs and placed two of them on either side of the ankle, and one on top and underneath.

"I'm surprised you didn't just go to the Citadel clinic," she spoke.

"You do remember me!" he exclaimed in happiness. She gave him a small smile, preparing her wrap for when the swelling had reduced somewhat, "I'm not Crownsguard, just an ordinary citizen."

"With well-placed friends. Good for you," she complimented absently, focused on her work.

"Uh, thanks," he seemed uneasy.

"You always hiding in the hospital?" asked Gladiolus.

"I wouldn't consider work exactly hiding," she answered without looking at him.

Virum removed the ice packs and then began to wrap up the ankle securely.

"Explains why you haven't been to the clinic."

"Yes I'm sure you spend a lot of time there," her voice was dry but her face still focused, "I work here in the E.D. Clinic was understaffed so I was just helping out. One time thing."

"That's a shame."

"Depends on who you ask," she finished her wrap and went back to her chart,

"Okay Mr. Argentum, we're all done here. You sprained your ankle, there's no break. Just stay off of it for a couple of weeks and you'll be good as new."

"Thanks," he nodded at her, sitting up.

The doctor smiled at him, taking off her gloves and throwing them in the trash. As always, she sanitized her hands and walked out of the room with the chart under her arm. She went straight to the nurse's station, knowing she had picked up a rather large tail. She was hoping it would go away as she finished up her paperwork and handed it to Tash.

"Hey Doc," Gladiolus called to her as she began to head to the lounge to avoid him.

"Yes?" she turned to face him, her hands in the pockets of her lab coat.

"Still waiting to grab that beer."

"Still don't date Crownsguard," she replied, turning her back on him and walking away briskly before he could say something else.

Gladiolus smiled at her retreating back. At least he knew where to find her now - not that he really spent a lot of time looking.

"Can I help you sir?" asked one of the nurses.

"Yeah, who's that Doctor?" Gladiolus pointed in the direction of the woman who had just treated his friend.

"Her? That's Dr. Virum. Did you need something?"

"No," he said instantly. He smiled as he looked back in her direction, "Thank you," his eyes were distant.

The nurse was still looking at him quizzically and he just gave her a small smile, nodding at her before taking one last look in Dr. Virum's direction before going back into Prompto's room.

 

 

 


	3. Possible Anemia

Noctis, Prompto, Gladiolus and Ignis were all gathered in the young Prince's apartment. Prompto's ankle was still swollen and sprained, he hadn't exactly been staying off of it like he was supposed to. Ignis was cleaning up after their meal, the other three on their phone playing King's Knight. The television was on some random show playing in a low volume in the background. As Ignis finished up his chores he went to join the other men, pulling out his own phone. Gladiolus was largely losing his game, usually, one to be extremely competitive. He was distracted, making rookie mistakes. They continued their game regardless, laughing, cheering and yelling cries of defeat. It was moments like these where time would fly by, and they were none the wiser. It was good to just be in each others company as friends, the way Noctis preferred it. He wasn't a big fan of Gladiolus the Shield or Ignis the Adviser but they were his friends first and that made all the difference.

"What's with you, Gladio?" asked Noctis, exiting the game.

"Me? Where were you?" he threw a couch pillow at the Prince. He deflected it, laughing.

"He's right big guy, you weren't really in it," conceded Prompto.

Gladio grunted, "Still beat you didn't I?"

"Think he's still hung up on that girl," said Noctis, smirking.

"His clinic visits have increased since she treated him," said Ignis absently, his eyes still on his phone.

"Think he's in love!" teased Prompto, putting his hands together and mocking the Shield with his doe eyes.

"Prompto!" Gladiolus punched his friend in the right arm, leaving a giant red mark.

"No fair!" Prompto whined, "I can't exactly run away."

"I can make that permanent."

"B-but love is in the air!"

Gladiolus growled as Prompto rose from his seat quickly laughing, only to step on his bad ankle and fall down. But Gladio's momentum was great and he ended up stepping on said ankle, causing the young man to shriek in pain. Most of that was drowned out by Noctis laughing at the two of them, but Ignis was on his feet instantly, going to check on Prompto as Gladiolus sheepishly stepped off.

"The swelling is increasing," said Ignis exasperated, "I'll gather an ice pack."

"Don't know, Iggy, he looks like he's in a lot of pain," replied Gladiolus, "He should probably go get it looked at."

"There are no urgent care facilities open at this hour. Only the emergency department."

"Hey, you always say to err on the side of caution."

Ignis sighed, "Indeed. Very well, I'll take him then."

"I got this."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'll take him, it's my fault anyway. Come on Prompto, on your foot, let's go."

Prompto's whimpering was more so dramatic, but he got to his feet anyway. Gladiolus helped the young man towards the door and left. Ignis looked thoughtful at the scene that he just witnessed. Something was definitely a bit off about the entire thing.

"I've never seen Gladio so eager to get to a hospital," said Noctis, shrugging and picking up his phone.

"Indeed," said Ignis, suspicions still on his mind about the whole ordeal.

...

Doctor Virum washed her face, her pale cheeks returning to normal after washing the blood off of her skin. Her last patient went into a delirium, ripping out his intravenous and stitches and splattering blood all over her. She sighed, changing her scrubs for clean green ones and switching out lab coats. The new changes had them using scrubs with their names on them, same with the lab coats. The doctor couldn't help but feel she was partly to blame for that as she never willingly gave out her name like she was supposed to. It was how she separated her emotions from her patients, especially since whenever she did give her name, many looked at her with surprise. She hated when they did that, was much easier when they just saw her as their physician.

Virum took a quick look in the mirror, noting the lack of sleep in her bloodshot hazel eyes. Hour twelve, and she was kicking herself for choosing to stay, but she couldn't go home. Every time she went there she was reminded that she needed sleep and then when she tried to sleep she would have the same nightmare she'd been having for years. If she couldn't sleep anyway then she might as well be at work doing something productive. Four more hours and she could go back to snoozing on the couch in the doctor's lounge. Virum wondered how long she could get away with that seeing as her boss wasn't happy that she was practically living here.

As she walked back out toward the nurse's station, she picked up a chart and walked into the exam room. 8 year-old male jumped down from the roof of his house, contusions and severed femur. He was crying, his mother a worried mess over him while his father looked disgruntled at having to be here. Dr. Virum applied pain medication and took an x-ray. After seeing the nature of the break, she had two nurses come in and help her set the bone. She left a nurse to fix the cast, issuing a prescription for pain and then signed off the chart and left the room.

And so that was her night. People who came in with more flu symptoms, contusions and lacerations. Nothing serious thus far, most patients coming in and being shipped out to different departments. Hour fifteen. She was exhausted, hoping that she could wear herself out enough to have a dreamless sleep. They were in the middle of switching to digital, so recurring patients so far she had to use her own personalized tablet. Luckily there weren't many in the emergency department but it was still enough that she was too exhausted and impatient to deal with it. Virum grabbed another chart, looking it over quickly and then walking into the room. 20 year-old male, contusion to the right arm, severe pain and swelling in the right ankle. She opened the sliding door and swung back the curtain.

"Hey Doc," she was greeted by the smiling face of Gladiolus.

She smiled tiredly, "Mr. Agentum, I see your ankle hasn't improved these last couple of weeks," she ignored the large man standing beside her patient.

Prompto laughed nervously, "Yeah I had a bit of an accident."

"What kind of accident?"

He rubbed the back of his head absently, "Well, the big guy here tripped on my bad food and ended up hitting my arm on the way down."

"How convenient, and just when it would be done healing," she replied dryly.

The doctor placed the chart down on the counter and put on a pair of latex gloves. She examined the contusion on his arm and took another quick picture of the ankle. Thankfully nothing had changed so she patched him up swiftly and signed off his chart. Virum discharged him, making quick work of her patient and largely ignored Gladiolus's presence. She wasn't really in the mood today and he seemed to know exactly when she would be done her shift. Sighing, she gave the chart to the resident nurse, Gin.

"He comes back one more time he'll be on the tablet," remarked Gin.

"I could seriously do away with those things," muttered Virum, annoyed.

"Welcome to the future," Gin handed her another chart.

"Incoming!" another nurse shouted.

Dr. Virum threw the chart down watching for when the gurney would come in from the medics. The doors slid open, and she was vaguely aware of Gladiolus and Prompto leaving their room and their eyes on her as she darted toward the scene. The medics wheeled in the stretcher, and she followed it towards a trauma room.

"Talk to me," said Dr. Virum sternly as she put on a set of latex gloves.

"Two month-old female infant, shortness of breath and low BP. New mother is frantic," the medic explained.

The doctor took her stethoscope and had a listen to the baby's lungs. She was crying, but the airways were clear. Virum then focused on the heartbeat and frowned as she kept listening, something was off but she couldn't quite be sure. She moved her stethoscope and kept listening, unsure if she was hearing it properly or if it was lack of sleep catching up with her.

"Get a chest x-ray and an echo, and transfer her to pediatrics," the physician ordered, "Keep her on oxygen and monitor her until the results come back."

The baby was stable, the mother in tears as she hovered near the doorway. Dr. Virum walked back towards the nurse's station, handing off the chart to Gin. She logged into the computer, looking for any sort of patient history. Seems the infant was in here a week ago with the same symptoms. Virum sighed, her eyes looking at the clock.

"You're not going home, are you?" asked Gin.

"I want the results on that infant," she replied.

"That could take hours. You need sleep girl."

"I won't sleep until I see those results."

"Probably just a scared and nervous mom. New mothers jump all the time at the little things."

"Maybe..." she left it hanging, taking the tablet out of the pocket of her lab coat and looking at it. Something about the sound of that heartbeat...

"I know that look."

She looked up, feigning innocence and grabbing a chart, "What look?"

Gin grabbed the chart from her hands, "Go sleep for twenty minutes in the lounge, I'll come get you when we're in dire need of your services."

"You know, when everything goes back to digital you won't be able to do that anymore," she smiled, walking away.

Gladiolus stood beside Prompto as they watched Dr. Virum rush toward an incoming patient. The Shield studied her stern and calculated gaze despite the obvious sleep deprivation she was suffering. Did she ever sleep? Every time the large man had seen her she had such a hollow look to her, and a pale complexion. She did her work quickly and went back to the station. Prompto elbowed him gently, and he tore his eyes away from her, exiting the emergency department. The night air was crisp as they walked toward Gladiolus's car.

"I think you struck out, big guy," said Prompto, their pace slow with his injured ankle.

He grunted, "Busy night."

"Hope the baby's okay."

"I'm sure she'll fix it."

As they approached the car, Prompto got in carefully so as not to irritate his ankle. The bruise on his arm was a bit tender but he didn't let it show on his face. Gladio started his car and then drove off. The streets were mostly empty, they at least weren't in the hospital too long.

"We never actually bet on what would happen if I won," said Prompto.

"You haven't won yet," replied Gladiolus.

"I'd say she's pretty uninterested in the mighty Shield."

"Then she would have told me to go away by now."

"You know for an observant guy, you don't really read body language well."

"That's exactly what I've read. She's married to her job, but even she can't work every minute of the day."

"Looks like she does."

"Yeah. Makes me wonder..."

"Wonder what?"

Gladiolus regarded the young man briefly. Prompto was a bit young to understand the dangers outside of the city, the impact of the war. If she was a combat medic like he suspected then she had seen it first hand - and she wasn't sleeping because of it. Gladio had seen it in the Citadel all the time, Glaives who came back with insomnia and night terrors. Some of them couldn't handle the heat of battle or had been so severely injured they were forced to stay back. Some had seen the death of all their loved ones, or friends that they had known to become family. It wasn't easy for any of them. The Empire waged a dirty war and it was the living that suffered.

"It's nothing. I'll take you home, Iggy will have Noct in bed by now," replied Gladiolus.

"Yeah, uh... thanks," Prompto was thoughtful, wondering what was going through his friend's mind. As he pulled up to the house, Prompto didn't really waste any time getting out, but he did stop before closing the door to the car, "If you don't get a date by the end of the month, I get your car for two months."

"No."

"One month?"

"No."

Prompto laughed, "Because you know you'll lose."

Gladiolus grunted, "Fine, one month. You're on. But if I win, you shave that mop of a head."

"What?! Dude!"

"Deal's a deal," and before Prompto could protest, Gladiolus drove away laughing.

...

The angry red sky struck lightning right beside her. She blinked, in a complete haze, unable to move until she twitched as the sound of thunder pierced the very sky above her. Her eyes began to focus but her body refused to move, seeing the giant eye of the daemon that was attacking them. Then she heard the screams again, the screams of her comrades. They needed her and she couldn't save them. Releasing a breath, she forced herself to get up, starting with her arms. She tried to push herself up with her hands but they wouldn't work. Another deep breath, body in agony with every small movement. She rolled to her side, putting her right arm to the dirt beneath her. She had to save them, she had to get up and save them. They were screaming, dying as the ground vibrated with every new attack from the giant red-eyed daemon. It was getting closer, they would all die. She had to save them. Her skin felt on fire, she could only see red. The red of the sky, the red of the daemon, the red in her eyes. Her breath was coming out in rasps and she began to push herself up. She saw flames engulfing her entire arm and she pushed with all of her might to get up. And all that she could see was an azure glow, the screaming persisting.

Virum shook awake, breathing heavily. She tried to take a slow breath in, closing her eyes but it didn't work, she only saw that azure glow. The doctor swung her legs over the couch and held her head in her hands, her elbows on her knees. Finally, she got ahold of herself, exhaling slowly and then closed her eyes, taking in another deep breath. She was finally okay, having a look around the lounge. It was empty like it usually was when she had a nightmare. Her eyes darted toward the clock, noting she had slept for four hours. No one had disturbed her, it was almost shocking. Virum stood up slowly, trying to gauge where she was in her work schedule. There was an hour until her afternoon shift, having worked throughout the night for the full 24 hours. She only left the hospital to grab some real food and clear her mind a bit, but she ultimately ended up back at work, not bothering to go home. Walking toward the locker room, not even sure of the mess she looked like, she punched in the code for her locker, opening it and grabbing her change of scrubs and shower supplies. The scorching hot shower she had turned her skin red instantly upon contact with the water and she spent longer in there than she needed to since she had the time.

The doctor observed herself in the mirror when she was done, dressed in fresh navy scrubs with her name sewn into them. She ran a hand through her hair, noting that it was longer. It was halfway to her shoulders, the blond highlights still vibrant as ever. The dark bags under her eyes were actually pale, only faintly dark. The bags were smaller as well, the sleep she got actually doing her some sort of benefit. Virum blow dried her hair and put it back up, the ponytail actually falling with the gravity slightly, then she applied her light makeup, shocked at her own appearance. She looked mostly human. Satisfied, she noted she had fifteen minutes until her shift started. Perfect timing to grab a snack.

"Perfect timing," said Tash, handing the doctor a chart as she walked into the emergency department.

Dr. Virum swallowed the mass of food in her mouth, taking it from the nurse, "This doesn't sound good."

"ETA five minutes, there's a three car pile up. Two main cars got the worst of it, the third not so much."

"Three car pile up? It's not even happy hour yet."

"For the driver that caused the accident, it was."

She frowned, opening up the file, "I saw this patient last night, the infant. I ordered a chest x-ray and an echo. Why is she back here?"

"Gin filled me in. The pediatrician dismissed your orders and sent them home. Kids sick."

The doctor was about to say something, but the sliding doors slid open, medics wheeling in a stretcher. Dr. Virum dropped the chart and ran towards the patient. They got into a room with nurses, the patient intubated while one of the medics worked the pump. She put on a pair of latex gloves.

"What do we got?" she asked.

"8 year-old female, multiple contusions, rib fractures and lacerations. BP 70 over 50, heart rate steady at 70 but still too low," the medic explained.

"Where are the parents?"

"Mother was DOA, the child was unconscious so I couldn't ask about a father."

"Okay. Get a head CT and an x-ray, look for any hemorrhaging. Get her stable and a blood bag up here. I want her monitored until she can breathe on her own."

The doors opened again, medics wheeling in another patient, this time with more urgency. Dr. Virum ran over, following them into the room.

"This one?"

"The DUI, 43 year-old male, multiple contusions and lacerations. Trauma to the skull, fractures to the sternum, right ulna. O2 stats plummeting, heart rate practically none existence and severe blood loss."

"Transfer on my count."

There were three nurses in the room and the two medics. Dr. Virum kept her eyes focused on the patient and the monitors. They were screaming at her, the patient barely alive.

"One, two, three!."

They moved him from the stretcher to the gurney, the medics taking their leave. Dr. Virum ordered a chest x-ray, and they all geared up to take the picture. Looking at the image on the screen, she could see that there was fluid in the lungs. They did an echo and there was also massive bleeding in the heart and then he began to completely crash. One of the nurses started compressions so she ordered medication to help the heart along.

"Get the paddles!" Virum shouted. They started the machine, wheeling it towards her. She grabbed the paddles, placing one on the chest and another off to the side, "Clear!" She shocked him, his body lifting with charge. Nothing, "Charging, clear!" One more time and there was no pulse, "Hold compressions," she instructed. The monitor was motionless, the patient flatlining. She sighed, "Get him on bypass," she called it, removing her gloves and sanitizing her hands, "Find an identity and notify a family," she left the room.

Dr. Virum walked toward the nurses station, Tash looking at her sadly. She grabbed the chart she was holding before the crash. Tash placed an extra one on top of that, looking at her pointedly.

"Three cars, remember?" she spoke.

"Right," she said. She opened the chart for the infant, "This will be quick."

Tash didn't seem to care. Dr. Virum walked into the room, the infant was laying in the bed with oxygen. The mother looking at her frantically but seemed somewhat relieved to see her. She repeated her procedure from the night previous, and this time ordered the x-ray and echo from her own department. The sound of the heart was still bothering her and she wasn't going to let this go until she saw some results. The doctor handed the chart to Tash with a stern look to carry out her orders this time. She would be having words with the pediatrician that dismissed her orders and sent her patient home. That wasn't cool.

Virum opened up the other folder, looking it over quickly This was the third victim of the car crash. He wasn't rushed in, his wounds seeming minor. 22 year-old male, possible fracture to the right radius, contusion from the seat belt across the chest. She opened the glass sliding door and pulled back the curtain, placing the chart down as she put on a set of gloves. The doctor looked up at the man who was smiling slightly as he waited patiently on the gurney. She recognized him, that stern face she had seen before. He had a small laceration on his hairline, which made blood trickle down his face.

"Iggy!" her head snapped to look at the new voice. She was met with Gladiolus, as he pushed himself into the room followed by Noctis and a limping Prompto.

"Are you okay dude?" asked Prompto.

"What's it looking like, Doc?" asked Gladiolus. Noctis was silent as he stood near his friend.

"If you're all finished, I need to examine him," she said calmly.

Gladio moved out of the way, pulling Prompto with him. He noted that she looked healthier today, alive, and the blood on her scrubs and lab coat, meaning she was treating other patients before she came in here. It made him relax a little bit. If she was only getting to his friend now then he wasn't much of an emergency case. She walked towards him, pulling out her penlight.

Dr. Virum shone the light on each of his eyes, happy that he was responsive. She observed the small laceration on his hairline, nothing too serious and then felt underneath his chin, happy that everyone was quiet. The doctor took the stethoscope from her neck and prepared it, placing it on his chest. Ignis winced, taking a sharp breath in. Her hazel eyes met his green ones, and he carefully unbuttoned his shirt. He was slow but she waited patiently, keeping an eye on his right arm where the possible fracture was. Virum could see the large contusion from the seat belt, probably the reason he wasn't worse off. She placed her stethoscope carefully again against his chest. She nodded at him, and he took a breath in. The doctor moved it and he repeated his actions. They did it one more time and she had a thoughtful look on her face. Virum then carefully took hold of his right arm, noting the contusion where the fracture was. Ignis was still and she was able to feel what she needed.

"Mr. Scientia, I'm ordering an x-ray and a CT for that head. I suspect you may have a mild concussion but I want to eliminate anything else I might have missed," she spoke in her professional tone, taking off her gloves and sanitizing her hands.

"Thank you, Dr. Virum," he nodded at her.

"I brought your spare," said Noctis nervously, handing the black case to his friend.

"Thank you."

"Glad you're okay," said Prompto.

"Someone will be in shortly to take you up to radiology," Dr. Virum smiled at them again, leaving the room.

She walked over to the nurse's station, giving the chart to one of the nurses there as Tash was nowhere to be found. The doctor took a quick look at herself, the blood on her scrubs and lab coat bothersome. Virum quickly darted toward the locker room to change, happy that they had ordered more than enough for her to change over. Now she wore pink scrubs, a fresh coat flaring behind her as she returned quickly to the nurse's station. She saw Noctis walking beside the nurse that was wheeling a very reluctant Mr. Scientia toward radiology and was only mildly amused by that, seeing Gladiolus and Prompto go into the waiting room. His amber eyes were on her as he walked by, but she ignored him as she always did.

"Dr. Virum," Tash walked up to her.

"Yes?"

"The results from your infant patient," she handed her the chart.

Virum looked it over, her hazel eyes widening. And then she turned sad, looking in the direction of the room. She observed the mother, who was hovering over the baby. Gladiolus watched the expression on her face, looking towards where she was. He saw the same mother from the other day and wondered how bad the damage was but he could see that she really cared. The Shield couldn't help but wonder what was going through her head right now, knowing that her job couldn't be all that easy. Dr. Virum sighed once, speaking to the nurse and then closing the chart and heaving a sad, heavy sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks, guys!


	4. Congenital Heart Defect

Doctor Virum closed the chart of the infant, looking at the nurse in front of her sadly. Tentatively, the woman took it from her but the look on the doctor's face kept her in place. Hazel eyes darted toward the room with the mother and the infant. Virum felt sorry for them, wishing that there was more she could do. She hated when her gut feeling turned out to be right but at least, there was some small chance for the child - not that it was fair at all.

"Get these results up to pediatrics, figure out which doctor treated that patient and have them come down here immediately. I want to speak to them," she ordered. The nurse nodded, "And get this kid admitted on the digital print, she'll be here a while," she instructed.

The nurse nodded at her again, turning to leave. The doctor turned her head back towards the room, the mother holding her sick baby. Dr. Virum smiled sadly, before tearing her eyes away and pulling out her tablet.

"Dr. Virum," Tash walked up to her from the waiting room with a distraught woman beside her. She turned to look at them, a little confused, "This is Jessie Impeato, the wife of the driver."

Dr. Virums face fell, "Hello Mrs. Impeato-"

"How's my husband?" the woman's tears were evident in her voice.

"Let's go somewhere to talk," she suggested gently.

"No! It's bad isn't it?" and she wailed, her hands covering her face.

Dr. Virum sighed, waiting for her to settle down before she could continue. The woman took a few breaths in and then looked back at her, "Your husband suffered trauma to the head, and a massive bleed in his heart. He was in critical condition. He crashed, there was nothing we could do for him. I'm sorry."

"No!" she cried again, "He can't be dead! Are you sure?"

"I'm sorry, there-"

"No! You're lying. How old are you even?!" she was angry now.

Dr. Virum looked over at Tash, who just nodded at her, "He's on bypass if you'd like to see him."

"No! You're wrong! You're just a child!"

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"No you're not! This is your fault! I know that name, I know who you are and what you did! You killed him!"

"Let's go, sweetie," said Tash soothingly, leading the distraught woman away.

Virum watched them go, her heart heavy. The commotion had heads turned towards them, one in particular, she didn't fail to notice was the curious amber stare at her. She met his gaze briefly, before turning her back and looking at her tablet but she couldn't focus on the words. Nausea began to settle in, her body bubbling with anxiety. Virum put a hand to her head, closing her eyes tightly. The red sky, the azure glow. She gasped quietly to herself, taking in a breath and then walking briskly away from the station and toward the locker room.

Gladiolus kept his eyes on her. He noticed she had cleaned up, changing into pink scrubs. Something that upset woman had said clearly got to her. Who was she? What was all that about? The Shield met her eyes, but only for a second, as she hastily turned her back on him. He was thoughtful as he continued to watch hee and then she darted out of the room and out of sight. Frowning, he went back to pacing impatiently while he waited for Ignis and Noctis to return. Prompto was on his phone playing a game, but Gladio couldn't exactly sit still. He peeked into the other room, where the driver that caused the accident was sitting on bypass. The distraught wife was crying as she held his hand, the nurse was there with her, the charge nurse during this shift. She looked sympathetic toward them. The Shield was distracted by Ignis and Noctis coming back. It was evident Ignis was uncomfortable about being wheeled around by the Crown Prince and Gladio couldn't help but suppress a smiled, tapping Prompto on the shoulder before the two of them went back into their friend's room. The nurse assured him that the doctor would be back momentarily as she prepared surgical tools. Gladiolus could only guess they were to fix up the cut at the top of his head.

"So what happened?" asked Noctis as the nurse closed the glass sliding door.

"The driver had appeared out of nowhere. I was unable to stop in time before I collided with the vehicle in front of me," said Ignis, his spare glasses already on his face.

"He was drunk," Gladiolus grunted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Just glad you're alright, dude," said Prompto.

"Yes, though I wish the other victims were more fortunate," replied Ignis gravely.

"The driver died. Don't know about the other car," said Gladiolus.

"I recall a mother and her young daughter. That was the vehicle I hit."

"Haven't seen anything like that."

"I'm sure they're alright," said Prompto.

They stopped talking as the door slid open. Dr. Virum walked in holding a chart with her eyes downcast. She looked up at them, placing the chart down and putting on a pair of latex gloves. The doctor grabbed a cotton swap and some sanitizer, pulling a stool in front of the bed and sitting in front of him. Her surgical tools were beside her, and the other men moved out of her way.

"Can you take those off for me?" she asked politely.

"Certainly," he nodded, removing his glasses. He folded the arms and held them carefully in his hands.

"The good news, Mr. Scientia, your CT was normal and you have no concussion," she began, as she started cleaning up the blood that had fallen down his face, "Your arm is only fractured and will heal quickly. So I'll stitch you up, you won't have a visible scar given the location of your laceration. Then, I'll wrap that arm and send you on your way."

"And the bad news?" he inquired, keeping his eyes trained on her.

"For you, none. You'll be back to Crownsguarding later on today. Though I'm sure our humble Prince will be able to stay out of trouble until you're back to normal."

"I'll keep him in line," said Prompto cheerily.

She sighed dramatically, "I don't think I'll have enough staffing for that catastrophe."

That comment gained laughter throughout the room, lightening up the mood. Virum finished cleaning up the dried blood from his face and then stood to take a look a the cut. As before, she dipped a cotton swab into a blue fluid and ran it the numbing agent over the laceration. She began her stitches, methodically working while the others were quiet. All eyes in the room were on her as she worked but she paid them no mind. After about five minutes she cut the thread, tying it off and placing her tools back on the tray. Virum then went over to the cabinet and pulled out something to wrap up his arm with. The patient didn't flinch once while she worked and that made her job easier. When she was finished she took off her gloves and threw them in the trash, sanitizing her hands once more.

"That should do it. All of you, take it easy. This is becoming a habit," she looked at them, picking up the chart and signing it off.

"Hey Doc," Gladiolus caught her before she left.

"Yes?" she spun around to look at him expectantly, getting ready to turn him down again.

"What happened to the little girl and her mother?"

Her face fell, Gladio observing the multitude of emotions that flickered through her hazel eyes. But it was only for a moment, easily missed without a good eye. As she straightened up and looked at them she used her professional voice, "The mother was DOA. Her child is stable, we're waiting for the family to come. From the looks of things, she'll make a full recovery."

"And that beer?"

"Still a Crownsguard?"

"The best," he puffed himself up with a smug smile.

"Still a no."

Dr. Virum didn't wait for anyone to say something else, she simply turned and left before they had a chance. She sighed as she walked toward the nurse's station and handed off the chart. The nurse started preparing discharge papers. Tash came up and gestured toward the room with the infant in it. Dr. Virum looked at her sadly, still having not gone in yet. She was waiting for the pediatrician who ignored her orders, she wanted to be clear about what was going on before she went in there and disrupted a poor woman's life. Almost as if on cue, a very disgruntled, balding man had come down to where she stood. He was stock, a thin mustache looking like dirt under his lip. The man was older, wearing a lab coat that bore his name, Magnus Penia, M.D. He was coated in sweat, his skin taking a red sort of tinge, and short of breath, probably from walking so quickly toward her. His angry blue eyes zoned in on Virum as he approached, holding the chart she had sent up with a nurse almost in disgust. Penia stopped once he reached her, and she matched his stare without blinking.

"What is this?!" he demanded of her, holding up the chart, his hand shaking in anger.

"It's your mistake," she replied sternly.

Gladiolus, Ignis, Noctis and Prompto stopped just outside the room, looking over at the two doctors that were going to start fighting. Other people were also starting to look over at the commotion, the nurses stopping their work as well. All eyes in the emergency department were on the two feuding doctors that stood in front of said patient's room near the nurse's station.

"What mistake?!"

"You sent that girl home, you completely ignored my orders and look!"

"It's a sick baby!"

"Did you even look at the x-ray?!" she could feel anger bubbling within her.

"No! Because she was my patient and she's just caught a cold!"

"Look at the x-ray! Now!"

"This isn't the battlefield, Athenacia, you don't give orders here!"

"She has an enlarged heart, you idiot!"

"Don't you call me an idiot, I was practicing medicine while you were still swimming around in your father's balls!"

"Look at the x-ray," she seethed, keeping her eyes on the man.

The man regarded her death stare, stopping a moment. He begrudgingly opened up the chart, lifting the x-ray image up towards the light. Penia then looked at her incredulously, before going through the results of the echo. He closed the chart slowly, his brow creasing into a frown as he regarded her sadly. Once he handed her the chart, his shoulders slumped in defeat, having nothing more to argue with her about.

"What does that mean? An enlarged heart?" the frantic mother was in tears, standing outside of her doorway listening to the fight.

Dr. Virum and Dr. Penia exchanged a knowing look, before she turned her attention back towards the mother, "Your baby's heart is too big for her body."

"But how? Why?"

"It's hard to say. Sometimes, it can just be a normal variant. From what I can see in your child's results, and this is the most common reason, she had some form of congenital heart defect."

"S-So what does that mean?"

"It means that your baby is going to need a heart transplant," she said softly. The mother began to cry, clutching her child tightly to her chest, "Calm down. We have a good team here, she'll be at the top of the list for a transplant. But you need to know that there are risks."

"What sorts of risks?" she was distraught.

"The biggest one is acute graft failure, meaning your child might reject the heart. She'll have to go on immunosuppressors, which will reduce her white blood cell count and make her more susceptible to infection. If you follow Dr. Penia, he'll take you upstairs and get you started," she smiled sadly at the mother.

"He sent me home, I want you," the mother insisted.

"I'll follow up, but I'm not a surgeon. Dr. Penia will have the resources you need to find a donor and get you on the path you need and I will oversee all your care."

The mother looked hesitant but then eventually nodded, walking away with Dr. Penia. Dr. Virum watched them go, that same sad smile on her face. She looked over at Tash, the older woman put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"How did you know?" asked Tash.

"The heart it just... it sounded off. I wish I could describe it," she answered.

"I don't care what anyone says about you, you're the man."

Dr. Virum let out a small laugh, turning around and then stopping short at the four men who were staring at her. She blinked, almost like a deer in headlights as they regarded her curiously. And then she noted the others that all had their eyes on her. Her right hand had a slight tremor shaking the chart in her hand, the hair on the back of her neck starting to stand out. It was nothing that didn't go unnoticed by Gladiolus and Ignis. The fight between the doctors was over, most of the nurses had gone back to their work, but there were other spectators, the wife of the driver for one who was standing outside her husband's room. The people in the waiting room that turned their heads. Her eyes rolled over all of them as her heart rate began to increase.

"Back to work!" Tash shouted, clapping her hands loudly, which also snapped Dr. Virum out of her reverie. She turned back towards the nurse's station, shying away from the stares.

"Noct, against my better judgement, I think it's best if you drive. Will you go pull around the car?" said Ignis in a hushed tone. Noctis nodded, Prompto going with him. Gladiolus looked over at the Adviser suspiciously, watching as he walked towards the doctor, "Dr. Virum," he got her attention gently.

She turned to look at him, "Did you need something?" she had a tablet in her hands, looking at him curiously.

"I was curious as to your work schedule for today."

"I'm sorry?" she frowned a little confused.

"I wish to discuss this accident further, but will not take you from your work."

"Uh... I have a break coming up in an hour, assuming everything is calm around here."

"Splendid, I shall await you then."

"Okay?" she was a bit confused, but monitors going into a frenzy took her attention away from him and back into the room with the child.

Ignis turned to leave, Gladio looking suspicious at him, "What was that about?" asked the Shield as they began to walk out of the emergency department.

"Nothing of consequence," said Ignis.

"How did you get her say yes?"

"I didn't exactly ask her to leave her work. Perhaps you can utilize the same sort of method."

"She's got to have a life outside of this hospital."

"Indeed, though I doubt its willingly."

Gladiolus looked thoughtful at his friend's words, taking one last look behind him before exiting the building.

...

Dr. Virum splashed cold water on her face, observing herself in the mirror. Her eyes were starting to go bloodshot again, she had done too much work for the short amount of sleep she had. Some day so far. She took a towel and dried her cheeks, taking in a deep breath. The emergency department had calmed down, for now, and she had a moment to breathe. Virum walked out of the bathroom, going down the hall and ignoring the people that looked at her as she made her way back toward the nurse's station. She pulled out her tablet, Tash in the room with the child victim of the crash. The nurse was talking to the father, with another doctor.

Virum grabbed a chart from the pile and looked it over. 56 year-old female, fell on her kitchen floor, contusion, possible fracture. 23 year-old female, rib fracture, head trauma. 85 year-old male, cardiac arrest. 9 year-old female, high fever, runny nose, coughing. 17 year-old male, bicycle accident, multiple arm contusions, laceration to the leg. 39 year-old male, shortness of breath, arrhythmia. 93 year-old male, cardiac arrest, time of death 19:43. 34 year-old male, severed fibula.

The doctor sighed as she handed off the last chart to Tash, putting her hands on her head and rubbing her temples slightly. Tash offered her a sad smile, then gestured toward another room. Dr. Virum looked over, seeing the distraught wife still in her room with her husband on bypass. Mrs. Impeato was looking at her, Dr. Virum unable to determine what she was seeing. She looked back at Tash, and the older woman nodded at her. Virum sighed, silencing the anxiety that bubbled within her. She walked into the room, trying to keep her body language passive instead of defensive. The husband was still on bypass, the monitors singing their happy, steady song.

"Mrs. Impeato," she greeted gently.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Virum... about earlier," the woman started.

"You have nothing to apologize for. It's not easy to deal with the pain of loss."

"It doesn't excuse my actions. I heard about the baby."

"Everyone did," she smiled gently, looking at her feet.

"I believe you did everything you could. I'm ready to say goodbye to my husband now."

Dr. Virum nodded, offering another sad smile. She looked over at Tash, and the woman dropped what she was doing to come into the room. The nurse stood beside the widow, as Dr. Virum walked toward the bypass machine. She gave one last glance towards the two women in the room. With a small nod from Mrs. Impeato, Virum began to turn off the machine, hitting a switch one by one. She could hear the cry of the wife with each movement and then the monitor's song became sad, as the last machine was turned off. Dr. Virum shut them down, looking over at the clock.

"Time of death, 21:29," she said softly.

Virum left the room as the wife wailed again, but this time with acceptance. She walked toward the nurse's station with Tash right behind her. The two women took one last look at the grieving widow, and the went back to focus on their work.

"Dr. Virum," another nurse came up to her.

"Yes?"

"You have a visitor," she replied.

Dr. Virum looked confused. No one visited her at work. The nurse nodded her head towards the person she was referring to. The doctor saw Mr. Scientia standing in the waiting room, smiling slightly. She walked towards him with her hands in her lab coat pocket, Tash once again trailing behind her.

"Can I help you?" asked Dr. Virum.

"Yes, as I remember you were to go on break about two hours ago," he replied gently.

"She's on break now," said Tash.

"What? But-" she looked over at the nurse incredulously.

"We got this. Everything is calm. I'll page you if you need anything."

"I-" Tash gave her a stern look, pushing her forward and then walked away. Dr. Virum sighed as she turned back towards Mr. Scientia, "I guess I'm on break," she shrugged.

"Splendid."

"I, um. There's a cafeteria on the third floor."

"Shall we then?" he offered her his arm.

"That's not necessary," she politely declined, leading the way towards the public elevator.

What did she agree to? He was Crownsguard, she specifically only treated them and then stayed away. But he was just in an accident, and as long as he was going to stick to the medicine she could go along. She'd just walk away if it came down to anything else. Once the elevator came to their floor he waited for her to enter, before stepping in himself. Virum pushed the button to floor three, keeping her eyes away from his. Ignis was silent and as they jumped up the two floors people were cramming inside before they had a chance to step out. She should have taken the stairs, she hated elevators. Regardless, she led him towards the cafeteria, feeling suddenly ravenous. The doctor walked down toward the first stop she could see, not really caring what she got. Ignis ordered an ebony and she got a sandwich, nothing special but she took the bill before he could say anything and then lead them towards a table. Virum took a bite of her food eagerly, the bland meat and cheese settling her stomach a bit. He sipped his ebony and her eyes darted toward the clock.

"Bit late for coffee isn't it?" she inquired.

"There's never a wrong time for ebony," he responded politely.

"If you say so," she put down her sandwich that made her nauseous now, "What did you need from me?"

"I was hoping I might inquire the status of the young girl."

"I can't discuss other patients with you."

"But she will survive? I saw you running toward her room before I departed this afternoon."

She looked annoyed, "She'll make it, yes."

He looked relieved, "That's good to hear."

"From what the report says, you were in there tending to her by the time the medics got there."

"Her mother asked me to help her."

Dr. Virum looked at him, "It's good that you did, might have made the difference in her life."

He nodded at her, taking another drink, "Thank you, though I wish there was more I could have done."

"Don't think like that. Her mother was critical, there was nothing you could have done. I have to say though, you don't seem the type to get involved in an accident."

"It was not something I could avoid given the abruptness of it."

Virum shrugged, "I've seen worse."

"In combat?" he raised a brow. She looked at him sharply, frowning. His eyes were curious as they studied her, and she looked away in disgust, "Apologies, I wasn't intending to offend-"

"What gave me away?" she looked back toward him, regaining her composure.

"Your reaction. Gladio was the first to suggest it based on your scar."

She absently ran her fingers down its length, "Sometimes I forget about that," she replied, pulling her coat to hide it almost as a second nature.

"And your heated discussion with your colleague this afternoon."

"Figures," she half smiled, "I was a combat medic. I left that behind."

"Why? If you don't mind me asking?"

"I do mind," her voice was hard, her eyes were dark as she looked away.

"Apologies," he regarded her with sympathy. Ignis took another drink, not really knowing where to begin, "I am curious as to how someone so young managed to secure a position such as yours."

"I'm 25, I'm not that young."

"Still farther ahead than most senior residents. You're an attending."

She shrugged, "I worked hard."

"No one is denying that. It's admirable."

"Thanks," she said a little thrown off by his compliment.

Ignis nodded at her, noting she was a bit nervous now. He supposed now was as good a time as ever, "You know, Gladio-"

"Save it," she looked back at him, annoyed, "This is the part where you tell me how great he is and he's not like the others and I should really give him a chance because the past is the past. Don't waste your breath. I'm not interested in Crownsguard or anything to do with it. I'm still trying to figure out how you tricked me into this," she began to rise from her seat, hating how calm and calculating his eyes were.

"Well, it appears that you've said all I need to, however, there is one last thing," he didn't move but looked up at her as she stood. She stopped, waiting for him to speak, "Gladio won't give up that easy after seeing you agree to meet with me. He's a warrior, he will wear down your defences until they're broken entirely. Try not to be so harsh with him."

Virum said nothing as she listened to his words. So that's what this was about, he was being a wingman. He was sneaky, she would have to be careful around him should she ever see him again.

Ignis offered her a small smile, and she exhaled, "I hope you make a full recovery. Good night, Mr. Scientia."

"Good night, Dr. Virum, and you have my thanks for the ebony."

"Don't mention it," she waved off as she walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks!


	5. Mostly Human

The red sky loomed above her. On the ground, the tremors of attacks vibrating through her body. She couldn't move, but she had to save them. As always, she couldn't get up, but she willed herself to, as the fire took over her skin. The azure glow emanated from her body. And then she shook awake. Virum shot up out of her bed, hitting the floor of her bedroom. She was breathing heavily but got it under control much quicker than usual before pushing herself up off of the hardwood, extremely happy that she had taken the time to clean it recently.

The doctor ran a hand through her hair, the light of the sun shining in her apartment windows. She was forced to go home by both Tash and Gin. The two women had ganged up on her, forcing her to take a day off. So she tried it, going home to her messy apartment but she couldn't sleep. Instead, she spent five hours cleaning up the garbage that had festered over the weeks. There were plenty of take-out containers covering all her surfaces that rotted thanks to laziness and inactivity. Virum was exhausted by the time she was done and had collapsed in her bed after doing all the laundry. Her hazel eyes darted toward the clock, noting she had slept for a solid six hours. That was almost a record. Walking into the bathroom, she was impressed that the dark circles under her eyes were hardly visible, not even bloodshot. Hell, she looked completely human, like someone who didn't suffer from sleep deprivation and a sour attitude. Nodding with how impressed she was, she turned on the shower, deciding she might try and make a day of it. It wasn't often that she felt like herself anymore. Virum sighed dreamily as the water turned her skin red instantly, letting it wash over her longer than she needed and soon regretted that she was already halfway done before she thought about having an actual bath. Maybe later.

Virum got out of the shower, turning off the water and drying herself off quickly before walking into her room for clothes, ones that weren't scrubs. When was the last time she wore real clothes? Absently, she thought about it while standing naked in front of her full-length mirror. Living alone meant there was no sense in having modesty, pulling on her underclothes and then wiggled herself into a red skirt with a layer of black lace. It came down to her mid-thigh, with a brighter red shirt donning short sleeves that revealed most of her shoulders. She pulled on a thin, low cut black sweater on top of it, slightly impressed with how she looked. Virum traced her finger carefully over the scar on her neck that was slightly visible before blow drying her hair and letting it flare out. The tips of it just grazed her shoulders, it had grown. She didn't even bother with makeup, looking mostly human today there just wasn't a need, however, she couldn't leave without her jewelry. A small smile found her face as she observed her appearance, satisfied with herself. Mostly human.

The girl walked out of her bathroom and into her kitchen, opening the fridge to see what she had to eat. Beer and various condiments. Right, she didn't spend a lot of time at home, ergo, she didn't have any food to cook. Sighing slightly, she closed the fridge and walked to her foyer. Virum pulled on her black and grey striped fingerless gloves and a pair of boots that zipped up at the side all the way up to her knees. Grabbing her purse, she pulled it on to have it rest at her hip and left her apartment, turning to lock the door after she was halfway to the elevator. Once she got to the bottom of her building she began to walk East. There was no need to take her car anywhere, the place she wanted to go to was close by. There were lots of people out and she put her hands in her pockets as she walked, trying to stay out of the way as the streets were flooded. It really was a gorgeous kind of day, and she was a little sullen that she had slept through most of it. Three blocks down she finally entered the small cafe tucked out of the way. The doctor couldn't remember the last time she ate here, having spent so much time working. Seating herself, she ordered a specialty tea before pouring over the menu slowly. As an afterthought, she pulled out her phone to make sure that the hospital didn't need her and then ordering herself eggs benedict with peameal bacon. She leaned back in her chair, reading local news on her phone to pass the time during the wait.

"Dr. Virum?" she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

The doctor looked up from her phone, surprised to see Prince Noctis and one of his Crownsguard standing in front of her. She recognized him, with green eyes, glasses and a stern look, but she couldn't quite recall his name as it had been a few weeks since she had seen him - though she remembered in a sort of haze that the two of them had gone to the hospital cafeteria and it didn't end very pleasantly.

"Prince Noctis," she bowed her head politely towards him, "I'm sorry, Argentum? Scientia?" she looked at the other man, "I see so many people in a day I'm not trying to be rude."

"Ignis will suffice," Ignis assured her softly, "Though I must say I'm a little wounded I had not made any sort of impact."

"Careful specs or Gladio will get mad," Noctis teased his friend.

"Ah, Mr. Amicitia. Stops by with some sort of ailment at least twice a week," she smiled politely.

"Seriously?" Noctis laughed.

"I was unaware Gladio was spending so much time in the hospital," mused Ignis.

"Oh yeah, he's almost there as much as I am," Dr. Virum said dryly.

"You don't appear to be on your way there now."

"I do get days off. It's just not often I actually take them. But my nurses ganged up on me after noticing my eighteen-day work streak."

"Eighteen days? You're crazy," said Noctis.

She shrugged, "I've gone longer. What's the Prince doing here in this cheap little diner anyway?"

"I love the breakfast here, I live just up the street."

"The building up the street? Three blocks away? Abnormally large?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Are you serious?"

"Quite," Ignis interjected curiously.

"Sorry, it's just, I didn't know all this time we lived in the same building. Small city I guess."

"I'll say," Noctis laughed.

The waitress brought out her food then, and Dr. Virum smiled politely. She then gave menus to the other two, and they took that as an invitation to sit down. The girl looked like she was about to protest but then thought the better of it. This was the Crown Prince, who was she to tell him to go away? Virum sighed as she took a drink from her mug, hoping that no one else would come in to intrude on her day off - mostly that Mr. Amicitia wouldn't stop in at the wrong time and start getting any ideas, or that any onlookers would recognize her either given her present company.

"What's Gladio come in for?" asked Noctis, putting down his menu.

"Nothing interesting. He had a hurt knee, elbow, sore neck. Your other friend, Mr. Argentum, took a shot to the shoulder, not a week after his ankle had healed," she replied, taking a bite of her food, her voice indifferent.

"So that's what happened to him. He said he ran into something."

"Yeah, a mountain of a man."

"Gladio must really like you."

"Yeah well," she put her gaze towards her food, avoiding the studying look that Ignis wore as he regarded her, "He doesn't understand what the word no means. Maybe you can help him figure it out, you both seem like clever people."

"As I said, Gladio will continue his pursuit and wear down your defences," said Ignis, sipping on his ebony.

"Specs is right. Your only hope is to give him the chance," conceded Noctis.

"I don't date Crownsguard," she insisted.

"And yet here you are," said Ignis.

"Your Prince sat down. I'm pretty sure he can sit with whoever he wants, isn't that kind of a perk of being a Prince?"

"It's not like that, really..." said Noctis, looking down at his hands.

Dr. Virum looked at him thoughtfully, then glanced back at Ignis. The Crownsguard just looked at her sympathetically, and she understood instantly. Sighing, she took another bite of her food before speaking up again.

"I don't mind your company, Highness, you're not a Crownsguard," she said in a light tone.

He smiled slightly, "Thanks. But can you drop the formality? It's not really my style."

She returned his smile, "Sure."

...

Virum parted ways with Prince Noctis and Ignis, asking them to keep their little breakfast date to themselves. They agreed, but only if she would meet up with them again on her next day off. She smiled at the broken promise she gave, Ignis knowing full well that she intended to never do such a thing but choosing to keep it to himself, and so, she started walking away from the diner. The breeze blew, mostly warm and it made her feel at ease once more. She didn't return home, not yet, she was enjoying the outside. Insomnia was huge and it had been a long time since she explored it's streets, especially during the day.

The doctor walked toward the central park, a view she had from her home but never actually spent a lot of time in. Kids were playing with their families, couples strolled hand in hand under the clear blue sky, teenagers skittered about with their friends, enjoying their freedom from school. Insomnia was a peaceful city, the real conflicts living on the outside of the magical wall. Virum kept her hands in her pockets as she strolled down the trail, smiling slightly as she walked past the masses. She walked toward a pond, where small children excitedly threw food into the water for the birds to eat. Standing a few feet from the base, she watched the happy families around her and absently brought her hands to her womb, sadness taking over her. Her hazel eyes were distant as she looked over the rippling water and she smiled sadly at her own thoughts. Virum could hear people laughing around her, enjoying themselves while they were out of the house. No one paid her any mind, they didn't even know who she was, didn't look at her with disdain or fear. It felt normal, something she wished she had more often. Of course, she would never admit that she was having a good day with her time off, she couldn't let those nurses push her into more of them.

"Athenacia," she heard a voice beside her.

"Cor," she greeted the Immortal almost coldly as he approached her. Almost.

Cor wasn't in his uniform, just plain clothes like herself. He was a tall man, muscular build, the Marshal of the Crownsguard. Cor Leonis was much like herself, immersed himself in his work so it was rare to see him outside like a civilian. Athenacia hadn't seen him in nearly a year but he hadn't changed much. There were lines on his face as age progression occurs. His hair was still short and brown, no signs of grey yet which was surprising but his light blue eyes were kind, almost sad as they regarded her person. She tore her gaze from him and looked back towards the rippling surface of the water. Cor walked up and stood beside her, his eyes following her own.

"Surprised to see you outside," he commented.

"Same for you," she kept her voice as neutral as possible.

"Walk with me," he instructed.

Athenacia sighed, walking alongside him as he led her down the cement path. Some people looked at them with curious eyes, as Cor was someone that people knew. It was attention she didn't want on her.

"What's this about?" her face was scowling the more her hazel eyes scanned her surroundings.

"Classified," he answered simply.

"Great," she said dryly, "I doubt you tracked me down just to not discuss anything."

"I need you to come to the Citadel with me."

"For what?"

"Classified."

The doctor grunted angrily at the lack of information he was providing her but she had no choice but to follow him as he led her out of the park and toward the busy road. Athenacia recognized his car as they approached it and he opened the door for her to get in. The scowl remained on her face as she begrudgingly sat down, closing the door herself and strapping in her seat belt. Cor went to the other side, getting in himself and turning on the engine. She kept her gaze out the window, the peaceful tranquillity of the park fading out of sight. So much for a pleasant day.

"You going to tell me now?" she asked, now that they were no longer in earshot of anyone else.

"I need your medical opinion on something," was all he offered her, keeping his eyes focused on the road and his hands on the wheel.

Athenacia put her elbow on the window ledge and leaned her head on it, taking her gaze back toward the city. The roads were manageable, traffic not too heavy headed towards the Citadel. That was rare, but then shift change hadn't occurred yet. She didn't recognize anyone walking along the streets, nor many of the advertisements in the electronics trying desperately to gain her attention. The sun was barely visible with all these tall buildings surrounding them, as finally the biggest one of all loomed in front of her. The Citadel was set in the centre of the city, two tall identical towers reaching high into the sky. The doctor knew that the crystal resided in the middle, the magical barrier starting there and flaring out to the outskirts of the solid cement walls.

Cor drove through without an issue as he was a high ranking officer. Once he parked the car and she got out, slamming his door. The Marshal looked at her, about to say something but the hateful glare she gave him said all she needed it to. He rolled his eyes at her attitude and then led the way into the vast fortress, staying at her side. The two of them largely ignoring everyone walking by them in the corridors. Athenacia saw Crownsguard and Kingsglaives alike, some of them eyeing her curiously. Cor brought her toward what she faintly recognized as the throne room, riding the elevator to one of the top floors. It was quick and she soon realized they weren't going there. The Marshal stepped out of the elevator with her behind him and began leading her toward the royal apartments. She was curious now, seeing as she really had no reason to be here. They walked toward the end of the hallway and Cor opened up the door to the room of King Regis.

Her eyes widened a little as he moved aside for her to step in. The room was far more spacious than her own one bedroom apartment. There was a fireplace off on the opposite end of her, a desk for who knows what he was working on. His own private bathroom with the door slightly ajar. To the left she saw a huge window, arched at the top, letting the sunlight flow into it. The four-poster king size bed was directly in its view, and a television hung on the wall before it. Between the bedroom portion and the bathroom was another lounging area with a giant bookshelf behind the seats. King Regis sat in one of them, looking at her with kind eyes and a gentle smile. It had been quite a few years since she had seen him in person and he had also matured rapidly fast for a man his age. His cane was at his side, a bag on the table near him. Athenacia recognized it, a portable medic bag not unlike the one she carried in the trunk of her car. Cor closed the door behind her and walked over towards the King while she stood her ground, unsure of what she was doing here. Was she in trouble? She thought that she no longer needed to say anything, that her requests were fulfilled and she never needed to step foot here again.

"It is good to see you again, Dr. Virum," he spoke in a light tone, greeting her with a polite nod.

"You as well, your Majesty. Athenacia is fine," she also inclined her head towards him, still unsure of herself.

"Did Cor discuss with you why I've called you here?"

"No, he seemed to leave out a huge gap. You know how talkative he can be," she smiled.

He returned it, "I see."

"Didn't think you'd willingly show up if I told you," Cor grunted, crossing his arms.

"You never bothered to try. I wouldn't ignore a command from his Majesty. Oops-" she was bumped by the door opening, and another man stepping in.

"Sorry miss," he said, closing the door behind her and walking towards the King.

"Clarus, you know Dr. Virum," Regis inclined his head towards her.

"Dr. Virum? Athenacia?" the Shield looked in her direction, "It's been a while."

The doctor smiled politely, though still not sure what she was doing here at all, "I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude, but why have you summoned me? I thought that.. well, you know..." she bit her lip nervously.

"We were hoping you'd be able to give his Majesty a physical," said Cor.

"Why me? Don't you have other doctors around here?"

"Not ones that know how to keep their mouths shut or with your... particular skills."

Athenacia shrugged in agreement with his statement, he definitely had a point. Taking off her fingerless gloves, she walked toward the three men, but first to the rounded table. Dr. Virum placed her gloves in the pocket of her sweater, removing that as well and laying it neatly on the back of a chair. She took off her purse and then opened up the med bag. Rummaging through it quickly, she pulled out the stethoscope, placing it on her ears and walking towards the King. Virum listened to his heartbeat, noting the normal sinus rhythm. His airways sounded clear as well, as she moved the scope into two different places asking him to breathe. The doctor went back to the med bag and pulled out a penlight, shining it quickly over his eyes. Satisfied with the results, she moved on to examine with her hands his abdomen and felt nothing out of the ordinary there, in fact, he seemed extremely healthy. Virum continued her exam, checking blood pressure and everything else she needed to do that wasn't invasive. The King was healthier than most people half his age - but he was ageing far too rapidly. The magic he was using to protect them all was taking its toll on him, he couldn't keep this up much longer. Athenacia could see it residing within him, wearing a thoughtful frown as she finished her examination with the tools provided to her.

"Well?" asked Cor.

"You're healthy," she started, looking at the King himself, "But the magic you're using to keep up the wall is draining your life force faster than you can heal. I hate to say it, but you're past your prime. It's going to be time to move on soon, or you'll die much quicker than you anticipate."

"Noctis isn't ready," King Regis insisted.

"Were you not about his age when you took the throne and put up the wall?"

"Roughly. The tale is altered from what they say inside the city and what you may have heard."

"Well put it this way. Assuming the Empire doesn't launch an attack, you can have another few years. But if they come with their guns blazing as they like to, you won't have nearly as much time. You can't sustain an assault, plain and simple."

"So it is as I feared," he said sagely.

"This is why we called you," explained Cor.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty I wish I could give you better news," she looked at the man sadly.

Regis met her gaze but only smiled, "I thank you for your time, Athenacia. I won't trouble you again."

"You sir, could never be a bother to me," she gave him an assured smile, "It's these other pests around you," she looked pointedly at Cor.

"Thank you. Clarus can see you out."

"That's not necessary, I remember the way. Take care, and if you need anything, you can contact me directly," she nodded at him, putting on her purse and sweater.

Athenacia began to walk towards the door, putting on her gloves again as her back was to the three men.

"Cia," she heard Cor call her just as she touched the doorknob. She turned to face him curiously, "Sorry for bringing you in like that."

"Don't mention it," she smiled at him slightly though still with an icy glare before exiting the room.

The doctor walked back the way she came toward the elevators, quickly getting inside pushing her desired floor, the ground. She pulled out her phone, checking for any messages. There were none. It seems the emergency department didn't fall apart without her. Athenacia was little sullen about that. It was a long way to go down, the elevator stopping on various floors for different people. The girl kept herself in the corner during all these transactions, making herself as small as possible so no one would notice her. They didn't, but she was only halfway down. As she got further down, the lift was emptier and then she was the only one inside of it again. Athenacia checked quickly, and it made one final stop as she put her face back in her phone.

"Hey Doc," said the younger Amicitia, a smile on his face as he recognized her while he stepped into the elevator.

"Uh, Mr. Amicitia," she inclined her head politely, a little startled.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, standing beside her and pushing the ground floor again.

"Leaving actually," she replied, hating that she didn't take the chance to get out of the elevator and take the stairs down the remaining floors.

She observed him, noting that he was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, "I'm on my way out myself."

Athenacia just smiled her response, putting her face back in her phone and moving toward the side of the elevator. She darted out quickly once the door opened, walking briskly toward the exit. Biting her lip in annoyance, she could hear his footsteps following her and he caught up to her quickly, walking beside her. The doctor pretended not to notice him, though it was hard when he opened the door and allowed her to step through it. She smiled slightly at him again and practically ran down the stairs toward the gate. The sun had gone down, the lights turning on all around them. The stars were out, it was a clear night.

"You walk here?" he asked.

"Uh, not exactly," she replied vaguely.

"I can walk you home," he offered.

"That's not necessary," she held her hand up in protest, though he kept up his pace beside her.

"It's better if you don't walk by yourself at night, pretty girl in the dark. I don't mind."

"Well, don't you have your car?"

"Lost it for the month. Made a stupid bet," he shrugged grinning, "Look Doc, it's not a date. I'm just trying to make sure you get home safe, that's what we Crownsguard do, protect people."

"I can take care of myself, really. You don't have to trouble yourself."

"No trouble."

"I'm not even going home, I've got to get to work," she continued her argument, though she knew it was futile.

Athenacia didn't actually have to work, she was just afraid that if she walked home he would start showing up there more like he did at the hospital. Not that he wouldn't have a reason to be in the building, she just figured he would find more of a reason to be there. The doctor hated to admit that his hospital visits were the easiest part of her day and  _did_  make her feel a bit better - but she would never say that out loud.

"I'll get you there safely," Amicitia assured, continuing to walk with her toward the hospital.

"If you insist," she gave up, internally cursing Ignis for being right.

The Shield smiled, keeping a respectful distance. Athenacia didn't talk much, not about herself anyway. She could only assume that Ignis had warned the big man not to mention her past, so he only asked her about her current work, the infant that she treated while he was there for the accident. The doctor usually turned around the discussion to him and his work. His ego was big enough that he told her all about his training, leaving her to smile at his enthusiasm and the pride he held in his own work. Athenacia could respect it as she took a similar stance with her own patients, especially when she could successfully save them.

The walk was coming to an end as the large tall building of the hospital came into view. The doctor slowed down her pace as they came toward the doors of the emergency department and then she stopped entirely at the ambulance bay. Amicitia stood in front of her, finishing his story and she genuinely smiled at his antics.

"This is my stop," she said, her eyes looking toward the glass sliding doors.

"If you got time we could still grab that beer," he grinned at her.

Athenacia laughed, "Good night, Gladio," she spoke, walking towards the doors without a look back, though a smile was still plastered on her face.

Gladiolus watched her go, kept looking in her direction even as she disappeared out of sight. He still wore that crooked grin, her words ringing in his ears. He was getting somewhere, she called him by name for the first time since they had met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks!


	6. Subclavian Artery

Dr. Virum waited about a half hour inside of the emergency department, mostly in the waiting room where no one would notice her. When she was sure that Gladiolus was gone, she stepped back outside and took a look around. Satisfied, she began to walk down the streets toward her home at a brisk pace, knowing the trek would take her at least an hour. It was getting late, the roads down to minimal traffic and most businesses closed for the day. Athenacia would have taken a cab but felt like walking instead, a good way for her to clear her thoughts and she had a lot of them today. She looked up, the invisible magical wall high above her in the sky.

The city was aglow with many lights flooding the streets. Screens played their advertisements, flashing lights to attract attention. Insomnia was a beautiful place to live, she was fortunate to be here. This was one of the last safe places in all of Eos to live, and yet, it all relied on one man - the very man she had examined earlier in the day, the reason she was walking home instead of driving. This was her home and the thought of it being destroyed like many others out there filled her with sorrow. King Regis was generous, and probably one of the best rulers in the world. He sacrificed his own life force to ensure that his own people could live in peace and no one - save for a handful of people - knew about it. She just wished there was more she could do to help him preserve his life.

Athenacia noted that the footsteps behind her stopped as well. The person was probably about six feet away from her if she was hearing right. Keeping her face thoughtful, she began to walk, slower than before and whoever was behind her continued to follow her. The doctor turned a corner of the city block, walking about eight paces and stopping to look up again. Her stalker stopped as soon as they turned the corner as well. From what she could tell, weren't overly large, nor were they a child's but the feeling she got in her gut was hostile. Looks like she wasn't going home just yet. Athenacia kept walking, turning away from the direction of her apartment building and beginning to zig-zag back toward the hospital. There was no way this person was going to start trouble there.

A loud noise in front of her, a car honking at another driver passing by, snapped her attention out of her thoughts. The footsteps were getting faster, this person almost within arms reach. They were going to try something with her and she reached into her purse for her knife. Once she had a firm grip on it she turned the corner into an alley, getting ready to defend herself. Unfortunately, her attacker was quicker and she gasped sharply as she felt the blade plunge into her back, somewhere near her left kidney. Athenacia wasn't going down easy though, making sure that he left it in before she countered with her attack. The doctor swiftly sliced along his abdomen as she turned and then slashed again at his neck, blood splattering on her. It was then her hazel eyes widened as her skin started to burn. Athenacia could only see red, all around her, starting to breathe heavily while a small azure glow beginning to show up around her skin. The man before her screamed in pain and it brought her back to the scene. Virum acted quickly, knowing that she had caught a subclavian artery. Shit. He was losing blood fast, as he fell to the ground. She dropped her knife and followed him, going to pinch the artery and try and stop the bleeding before he died. The laceration she delivered to the abdomen was also bleeding heavily, like he was on blood thinners. No, there was a very distinct odour of alcohol on his breath. Shit. Using one hand to pinch the artery, she pulled out her phone and dialled her emergency call.

"I need an ambulance 22nd and Grand, back alley. Middle-aged male, laceration to the abdomen and neck, subclavian artery pinched. Bring units of blood for transfusion stat," she ordered. They assured her that they were on the way and she hung up the phone, "You damn fool," she said absently, fishing out a potion from her purse and administering it to him.

His scared brown eyes were locked on her as she worked, keeping him from bleeding out on the street. Virum could hear sirens getting closer to her location and her anxiety relaxed a little. This man had followed her from the hospital, or maybe even as far as the Citadel, she could only assume one or the other, and now her two fingers were the only thing keeping him alive. She became aware of the knife in her back, the adrenaline of her encounter starting to wear off. The doctor gave herself a potion, she couldn't lose focus now, and administered another to the man just for good measure. Why was she even trying to save him? He attacked her, for no reason she could think of. She only knew people at the hospital, kept her circle small as she didn't care for the judgement of others. Virum couldn't say she had ever seen this person in her life before tonight, so why did he wish to hurt her?

The paramedics arrived then and she looked up at them as they took in the scene. The man was hardly breathing so first they gave him some oxygen, Dr. Virum careful not to loosen her grip on the feeble artery. The medic opened up her kit and started to check his vitals. She was new, Vrium could tell from the uncertainty in her movements, however, she didn't say anything, only let them do her job. Finally, the leader spoke to her.

"What happened here?" he asked her.

"He was following me and I sliced him open. I nicked his subclavian. You'll need to band it, I've been holding it since," she explained.

"Did he put that knife in you?"

"It's fine, just get him stable to the hospital."

The medic looked unsure but decided to listen to her instructions. He pulled out a tourniquet and moved her fingers aside quickly, tying the wound she inflicted upon him. The other medic was getting a line in for the blood that was ordered and hung two bags. Dr. Virum took one of the bags, helping the young girl out. They got the man on the stretcher and lifted him up to its full length. They began to wheel it towards the ambulance, the female medic getting inside and Dr. Virum handing her the bag of blood she was holding up.

"You might as well get in and come with us," the male medic instructed.

The doctor nodded, hopping into the back and sitting in a way that the knife didn't move on her. She helped the young girl get situated as the ambulance began to speed through the streets of Insomnia toward the hospital. Dr. Virum felt a bit faint but pushed passed it as she tried to keep this man alive. The young medic was looking at her wound and Virum would have none of that. Once they arrived, the two medics rushed the man toward a trauma room. The doctor saw Gin running awkwardly toward her.

"What happened?" the nurse asked in alarm.

"Just an accident," replied Dr. Virum, walking toward the trauma room the man was taken into.

"No way, girl. You're going to treatment one."

"I have to see my patient-"

"You're not on the clock, he's not your patient. You've lost some blood to, get into treatment one and I'll send in Dr. Brette."

Dr. Virum nodded at her, waiting until she had left to go to the nurse's station. Once she saw that Gin was out of the way she walked into the trauma room, the monitors screaming about his stats. They hung another blood bag and more painkillers. They pushed medication and the monitors calmed down their song. He was stable, and on his way up to the operation room where they would repair the damage she had done to him. Virum stood aside as they wheeled his gurney away and towards the elevator. She was still unsure about whether or not she wanted him to live but she was happy that he was stable for now.

And then the adrenaline and potion wore out completely.

Her eyes widened, feeling a sharp pain where the knife had punctured her. Screaming in agony, she fell to her knees while her hand absently went to examine the wound and try to figure out if he had gotten through to her organ or not. Nurses rushed to her, picking her up and carrying her forcefully into the next room. Dr. Brette was there in an instant, bringing a blood bag with him as the nurses hooked her up to the machines. Within seconds, the nurses put in an intravenous and started her on a morphine drip. Athenacia tried to focus, feeling her skin begin to burn again. Her vision was hazy as it went from normal to red with every blink. She kept a grip on herself, she had to.

"Sedate me," she instructed weakly.

Dr. Brette looked at her curiously, "Cia..."

"Sedate me!" she screamed.

Dr. Brette paused for a moment but then ordered the medicine. The nurses pushed it instantly and her world went from red to black as she was beginning to lose consciousness. The last thing she heard was the sound of someone discussing getting the knife out of her back.

...

Amidst the red sky was a cruel wind. Tears streamed down her face as she raced towards her fallen comrades. The ground beneath her shook and she fell to the ground, clutching her bag. But she pushed herself back up despite her body protesting her every movement. She gasped as she saw two glowing red eyes and another singular one further off in the distance. The smell of death was in the air and she pressed on, she couldn't stop. She had to save them, had to do something, they were all dying around her and she couldn't let that happen. Even as she tried to run she was still hit by debris blowing in the unforgiving wind. Each one felt worse than the last, she couldn't stop, she had to save them. She was forced to the ground again, crying out in pain and frustration before pushing herself up slowly and began running again. The red glow was getting closer as the sky was turning to blood. She stopped in her tracks seeing again the obscured figure. Her eyes wide with fear as the glowing of his blade came towards her. She moved but not fast enough, the weapon thoroughly slicing down her neck vertically.

Athenacia took in a sharp breath, waking up at the impact of her nightmare. Her monitors were beeping loudly, nurses rushing into her room. She blinked a few times, trying to gather where she was and what she was doing. The doctor saw she was hooked up to an intravenous, taking in sharp breaths while her eyes travelled to see she was in a hospital gown as well. Her hands absently went to find the knife but she could only feel a bandage with fresh stitches underneath it. Athenacia relaxed a little, the nurses backing off of her. The effects of the morphine in her system calmed her and her breathing evened out eventually. She grabbed her line and lessened the drip, wanting to be somewhat coherent while she was recovering. The nurses left her room, not really saying anything to her now that she was stable. Athenacia wouldn't have heard them anyway, as her head was in a haze. Running a hand through her hair, she noted that there was dried blood in it, probably from the man she had wounded. His artery did spray all over her after she sliced it open. Sighing, she found the button on her bed and lifted herself into a better sitting position.

The doctor was in a treatment room still in the emergency department. From her vantage point, she could see across the way on the other side of the nurse's station that the man who attacked her was back from the operation room. He was unconscious still and she wasn't sure how long he had been out. Athenacia wasn't even sure when her own sedation had worn off, she just knew that it needed to happen. She saw Gin at the nurse's station. The woman, not much older than herself, looked at her and then walked to her room, followed closely by Dr. Brette. Gin stood off to the side, taking note of the vitals with her tablet and giving a worried look at the injured doctor. Dr. Brette was a fresh attending doctor, trained in another hospital on the other side of the city but was good at his job. He wore dark green scrubs and lab coat that bore his name: Dwight Brette, M.D. He had a thick full head of hair, dark brown with bushy eyebrows. Brette had a thick accent but was easy to understand nonetheless and was tall, nearly 6'6". He was also young, only a few years older than her, but Athenacia knew that age didn't matter that much when it came to practicing medicine.

"Athenacia, how are you feeling?" he asked in his deeply accented voice.

"High on drugs," she said hoarsely.

"We can lower the morphine drip," he offered.

"Don't bother I already did. Can I get some water?"

Wordlessly, Gin walked out of the room to grab her some. She watched, waiting for the styrofoam cup to press into her hands. The injured girl took her drink eagerly, letting the cool liquid wash over her throat and relieve her of her thirst before placing the cup down on the tray beside her, looking back at Gin. The charge nurse was around the same age as Dr. Brette, wearing pink scrubs and her ginger hair always pulled into a messy bun. She wore a little too much makeup, her swelling abdomen growing with her child. Despite that, she was one of the happiest people in the emergency department, even with some of the sorrow that came in.

"Athenacia, can you tell me what happened?" asked Dr. Brette.

"Just a mishap while walking home," she replied vaguely.

"Why were you walking?" asked Gin.

"Long story. Is he going to live?"

"Mr. Cligh will make a full recovery thanks to your quick thinking," answered Dr. Brette. She nodded absently, still unsure how she felt about it, "Cia you were stabbed, do you remember?"

"Hard to forget something like that."

"We pulled the knife out and stitched you up. We did an x-ray and he only scratched your kidney. None of your major organs were hit but you will be sore for a few days. You'll need to take it easy for a couple of weeks," he said that last part sternly.

"Yeah I know the drill," she said, keeping her eyes on her attacker.

Dr. Brette looked towards the direction she was looking, "I mean it, stay in bed. You're a patient right now, not a doctor."

"No promises," she told him honestly, taking her hazel gaze towards him.

He smiled sadly and then left the room.

"And don't you scare me like that again!" said Gin, slapping the woman gently on the arm.

"I like to keep you on your toes," she replied, her smile growing.

Gin shook her head, leaving the room. Athenacia went back to looking toward her assailant. She squinted, trying to get a read on his monitors and straining her ears to be able to hear them, however, she could only hear her own, beeping in sinus rhythm harmony. The doctor sighed, leaning her head back on the bed and looking at the fluorescent lights above her. The effects of the pain medication was lessening and she could start to feel traces of tenderness where her stab wound was. Athenacia checked the screen on the monitor, her vitals normal. That was a relief at least. She was distracted by a man charging up to the nurse's station, narrowing her hazel eyes curiously and feeling she should know the back of this man's head. The nurse pointed at her and the man turned, looking frantic until he spotted her. Cor Leonis, the Immortal, looked relieved once he made eye contact with her, walking into her room and coming standing next to her. Athenacia met his gaze, confused as to why he was here in the first place.

"You've had quite a day," he said, crossing his arms.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, confused.

"The hospital called me. Said you had an accident."

"What? Why did they call you?"

"I'm the only contact they have for you."

"But..." and then it hit her. She no longer had an emergency contact. Cor would be the closest thing she had to one, "I see," she nodded at him, looking down at her hands, "You didn't have to come."

"Yeah, I did. Call it guilt for dragging you away on your day off."

Athenacia smirked, huffing a little, "You do guilt well."

"What happened anyway? They just said you were hurt and unconscious."

"That guy over there," she nodded towards the room across from her. Cor looked in that direction, and then back at her expectantly, "Do you know him?"

Cor looked over at him again thoughtfully, "Can't say I do."

"I think he was following me since I left the Citadel earlier."

Cor frowned, looking back at her, "And you let him get to you?"

"I wasn't alone when I left. I came here before I parted ways and continued on by myself. I noticed him about halfway home."

"You're slacking, Cia."

"Maybe so, but I nearly killed him. And then when I got here I started to feel like I was on fire, and forced them to sedate me."

"You were on fire?"

"No, I just... Never mind," she gripped her sheets tightly, her knuckles white.

He grunted, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Don't sweat it, kid. All is well now."

She nodded, looking up towards him, "Thanks for coming. You don't have to stay, I'll be fine."

"Get some rest. I'll check back later on," he said, understanding her dismissal.

...

Athenacia woke up a few hours after she had passed out, thankful for a dreamless sleep. She looked over at her monitor, her vitals still stable. There were no nurses at the station, pushing her bed back up towards a sitting position. Gin had made sure she had water near her and she took a drink. The physician was able to see her assailant in the other room. He was still unconscious. Setting her jaw, she threw the blankets off, swung her legs off to the side and let her bare feet touch the cold hospital floor before she grabbed her pole, wheeling it along with her as she took careful steps toward the entrance of her room.

The doctor peeked out the door, looking for anyone that would force her back into her bed. The coast was clear and she carefully made her way around the nurse's station and toward the trauma room. His monitors beeped in synchronization to hers as she entered the room. The man was breathing evenly, asleep, his neck bandaged up from where she had wounded him. The patient wore a thick beard and was slightly overweight for his age, a head was full of hair, untamed and thick. Athenacia could only stare at him, studying his face and trying to think about where she had seen him before. She saw his scared eyes staring back at her from when she hurt him back in the alley. Her heart rate quickened a bit as she saw him stir, his eyes fluttering open, taking a moment to look around him before he met her gaze. Athenacia felt her breath become shorter but she tried to calm herself down. The physician didn't want to attract any attention and be forced out of the room. Their eyes locked, she could only see the confusion in his eyes and fear. Setting her jaw, she gripped her pole tighter and walked a little bit closer toward him. He kept his eyes trained on her, not really sure what to do at the moment.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him gently, trying to keep her voice even.

"I don't feel any pain," he replied.

She nodded slightly, "That's good. The meds are working."

The patient didn't speak again and she unsure of what to say. Athenacia didn't even know what she was doing here, why she wanted to see him. She should have thought this out better.

"Why?" he finally broke the silence, "Why did you save me?"

"Why did you attack me?" her voice had an edge to it.

He looked down guiltily, unable to face her, "You were the only one to come back from the battle. I never knew it was you until I saw you in the Citadel earlier today. My brother... he was a casualty. Someone told me who you were, and I hated you ever since my brother died."

Athenacia sighed, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment and suppressing the feelings of her past.

"The rumours aren't true, are they?" he looked back at her.

"No. Rumours often aren't true."

"They can't be. You didn't let me die, you tried to save me. If what they say was true then you wouldn't have done that."

She smiled a little, tiredly, "I suppose so."

A tear ran down his face, and he looked back down, "I'm sorry I..."

"I'm sorry for your loss,"

He was crying, "You should have let me die!" he said in anguish.

"I couldn't do that," she replied softly

His heart rate increased then, he was having trouble breathing. Respiratory arrest. Nurses pushed past her, Dr. Brette coming in to take charge. Athenacia felt a hand on her arm and turned to face Gin. The woman looked at her sympathetically, before helping her back to her own room. She stopped once she got to the entrance of her doorway, looking back toward the commotion in the other room. The patient was being intubated, being put on another machine. Athenacia sighed sadly, getting back into her bed. Gin plugged back in her machine to keep it off of battery power, closing the curtain behind her and the sliding door. The charge nurse pulled out her tablet, taking another note of her vitals and getting rid of the empty bag of morphine. The physician watched her work, hoping that the other patient would make it.

"Stop," said Gin, looking at her seriously.

"Stop what?" she asked.

"Being a doctor. You're a patient."

"I can't just stop being a doctor, you know that."

"Everyone knows that," said another voice. Both women looked toward the door as the curtain was being pulled back. The Marshal made his appearance, closing the door again behind him, "Which is why you'll be working the Citadel clinic until you recover."

"No, I won't."

"You will actually. It's already been cleared with your boss and me. I'm your proxy, and I know you. You won't recover if you're spending hours on end hiding in the doctor's lounge until no one is around to tell you off. So you're going to work in a less stressful environment. A room is being made up for you to stay in."

"No, I can't go back there! Gin, tell him!"

"Sorry girl, it's for your own good," replied Gin, looking at the girl sadly.

"Cia," Cor got her attention. She turned her gaze towards him, noting how serious his face was, "It's only for two weeks."

The doctor sighed heavily, keeping her eyes on him. There really was no choice in the matter, everyone was going to force her out of here until she was well enough to come back. She looked over at Gin, the pregnant nurse truly worried for her safety. Athenacia smacked her head on the bed, looking back up at the lights and listening to her monitors. Two weeks could go by quickly and she could maybe even leave earlier if she pushed it enough.

"Alright. Discharge me and let's get this over with," she spoke, looking at Gin, and then again at Cor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks!


	7. Temporary Prison

Athenacia was unhappy about being forced into the Citadel like this. As a doctor, she knew that she shouldn't even be discharged this early but they were pulling strings to get her out and free up a bed. Not that she would have willingly stayed anyway, she would have been up treating patients regardless of her condition and her boss knew that. Hell, everyone knew that, so they went behind her back and relieved her for two weeks minimum where she would work in the Citadel clinic treating bumps and bruises. It was the only offer they were giving her, and she begrudgingly took it. At least it was only for two weeks and she was sure she could push it after a week and a half. It was just the location that bothered her the most.

So, she was discharged and placed in the care of Cor Leonis who was her proxy after she appeared to have no one else listed. No one alive, anyway. Cor was not one to fool around and he knew her fairly well, which meant that he would make sure she followed her doctor's orders. It was the only reason he wouldn't let her go home in between shifts at the Citadel clinic. Those thoughts ran through her head as she carefully got into his car. Her wound was still tender and she had trouble sitting against the seat. Athenacia took one of the painkillers given to her, taking the edge off but not exactly numbing it completely. Long ago she learned that pain was a way to communicate limitations in oneself and she generally pushed father than necessary. The Marshal took off carefully away from the emergency department and towards her apartment building. The drive was silent, she had nothing to say to him. While she was happy that he cared enough to take care of her, she was pissed that he was forcing her to go back to a place she absolutely refused to be in. That was part of the deal and he knew that, however, she didn't argue as he was her commanding officer still - especially in this situation. Athenacia kept her eyes trained on the window, sitting away from the seat and observed the city during the day. Overcast took over the sky and rain wished to fall but only teased them here and there. The weather seemed to match her mood, how appropriate.

As he pulled up to her building, she saw the Prince and his guard, Ignis, leaving. They both spotted her. Shit. Luckily they were looking at the Marshal who just nodded in dismissal at them. Athenacia absently felt her head, remembering that she had dried blood crusting in her hair. Ignis looked thoughtful as he made eye contact with her for a brief moment, and then he left with the Prince, out of sight the way she wanted it. Sighing in relief, she exited the car and began to scurry toward the elevator. Cor wasn't far behind her, a stern look still on his face. The elevator ride wasn't long since she didn't live very high up. More often than not she took the stairs but she knew she couldn't with her injury. Athenacia opened the door, happy that she cleaned the last time she was here. The mountain of take-out food containers, laundry and garbage weren't attractive in any way, and she would have been ashamed to have him see it. Wordlessly, she disappeared into her room and began to gather some of her things: personal items, her technology, her toiletries and anything else she might need while she was away. She packed it all in a small bag and took a quick look at herself in the stand-up mirror. The clothes she was wearing the night of the attack was gone to wash at the hospital, so instead, she was wearing one of her scrub outfits, a pink one. There was a lot of blood in her hair, more than she had previously thought and she was in desperate need a shower. Sighing, she went to find a hat to cover her head. Pulling it so that it reached her eyebrows, she left her room with her bag. Cor took it from her and she locked up her home after taking a few steps down the hall, the Marshal giving her a pointed look to remind her. The elevator ride down to the garage was about the same as it was going up, silent. Athenacia had nothing to say to this man while she was angry at him but she felt guilty for being angry at someone that was just trying to help her. Cor ignored her internal struggle since he couldn't see it while she kept her face neutral. The elevator opened on their desired floor and the two people she really didn't to see were there waiting. Shit.

"Marshal," Ignis nodded his head politely at his Captain.

"Hey Cor," greeted Noctis causally.

Cor nodded briefly at them, exiting the elevator. Ignis was looking at Athenacia suspiciously and she tried to make herself as small as possible as she walked passed them, smiling politely under his gaze. Ignis held out his hand, seeming to guide her out, however, as she exited his hand accidentally grazed her wound on her back and she flinched violently away from his touch while hissing intensely. The girl froze, almost like a deer in headlights. The two men were both looking at her confused but had no chance to ask about anything as Cor carefully yanked her arm and pulled her away. Without another look, they walked to his car and the elevator door closed, blocking them from view.

"What do you think that was about?" asked Noctis once the elevator started ascending floors.

"Couldn't tell you. She appears to be injured though," answered Ignis, turning everything that happened over in his mind.

"Yeah. Wonder what happened."

"I'm sure it's nothing to concern ourselves with."

"You think? If Cor's involved..."

"The Marshal will take care of it," assured Ignis.

But even he couldn't help wonder why she was being dragged around by Cor and where they were going.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Later on that night, Noctis was joined in his apartment by Gladiolus and Prompto after Ignis had fed him dinner. The four men often got together at least once a week, though Ignis and Gladiolus had their Crownsguard business to attend to. Noctis probably spent more time with Prompto than the other two but he was happy that they were all off duty - as much as possible - and able to just sit around as friends. They had started a game of King's Knight, the mobile game that occupied their time more so than anything else. It was a boisterous sort of night, as Gladiolus took his win and his car keys back. Prompto was sullen about losing the car he had for only half their deal but he was never a very good gambler. As things wound down the television began to make some noise, no longer having to compete for sound with the men in the room. Ignis looked up from his phone, as all of them did. He read the title on the bottom of the screen in red. It was a report of someone getting attacked late last night.

"I heard about this," said Prompto, grabbing the remote and turning up the volume.

"...There were no reports of casualties, but the assailant was in critical condition while being rushed to hospital by ambulance. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, escaped with minimal damage. The victim was discharged from the hospital at an unknown time and refuses to comment on the situation. The attacker, however, seems to have gone under a 72-hour suicide watch. Other patients claim they heard him crying out with wishes to die..."

"I heard the ambulances. It was a girl, he cornered her in an alley and stabbed her in the back. So I heard," said Prompto.

"How did you hear that?" asked Noctis.

"The place I go for my midnight snacks said they saw it. I think she almost killed him, there was blood everywhere. I saw them cleaning it up this morning."

Ignis looked thoughtful at his words, thinking back to earlier in the day when he had seen Dr. Virum and the Marshal, Cor, leaving the apartment building. Cor was holding a bag that clearly belonged to her while she seemed more on edge than usual. The way she flinched from his touch on her back when he was sure that he hadn't even made contact with her. She was wearing a hat when she came down, trying to hide something. Now that he thought about it, the scene was bothering him more and more. Dr. Virum admitted to being a combat medic, her affiliation with the Marshal making sense. Curious.

"What's up specs?" asked Noctis, looking over at his friend.

"Nothing of consequence," he replied gently, not wanting to make any assumptions.

"You're thinking that I'm thinking, aren't you?"

"Perhaps."

"You think it was her, the victim from last night."

"Too many coincidences it seems," he said, sighing heavily.

"What's this?" asked Prompto.

Noctis and Ignis shared a look briefly, before looking at the other two. Gladiolus's eyes hardened a bit at the look on their faces while Prompto had genuine curiosity written all over his baby-like features. The Prince crossed his arms, giving Ignis a nod.

"Earlier in the day we ran into an unlikely, though not abnormal duo. Cor, the Marshal was escorting Dr. Virum to her home it seemed and then left with her shortly after," explained Ignis.

"Cor?" questioned Gladio, "What would he want with her?"

"As I told you, you were correct in assuming she was a combat medic," explained Ignis, pushing up his glasses. Gladiolus grunted, waiting for him to continue, "I suspect that she was the victim in the report. My arm held the door of the lift to ensure it would not close and she flinched away as I drew nearer to her back."

"But what was she doing here?" asked Prompto.

"She lives in the building," replied Noctis.

"Small world, dude. So you really think it was her then?"

"Couldn't have been," Gladiolus interjected confidently.

"What makes you so sure?" asked Noctis suspiciously.

"Because I walked her to the hospital last night so she could go to work. Can't get stabbed in an alley if you're not there."

Prompto laughed, "She actually let you near her without her lab coat on?"

"She was leaving the Citadel, in plain clothes. I didn't think it was okay for her to walk alone."

"She does have her own vehicle doesn't she?" asked Ignis, finding this information more troubling than the previous.

"I didn't ask. I just walked her to work and then went home. Could have driven but someone had my car," Gladio looked darkly at Prompto.

"Hey big guy, we had a deal, you lost," Prompto teased, holding up his hands.

"Either way, she wasn't the victim if she was at work all night," said Noctis, "Wonder who it was."

"Food for thought," agreed Ignis, letting the matter drop.

But Gladiolus kept his thoughts on the situation presented to him. He didn't stay much longer, muttering some lame excuse about making sure Prompto hadn't ruined his car and then he left the apartment. The Shield didn't go home, instead, he drove down the familiar streets toward the hospital. It took longer than normal to get there seeing as people were on their way home from work. Gladio was a little impatient but eventually, he made his way into the hospital parking lot. The mundane task of finding parking seemed to be an eternity and he practically sprinted into the emergency department once he found one. The sliding doors opened and there were people waiting to be treated. This appeared to be a slow day and he walked to the nurse's station, looking to see if Dr. Virum was anywhere around. He didn't spot her directly, however, he did see the pregnant registered nurse that was often talking to said doctor. The rooms were filled with people but she did manage to spot him on her way toward the station.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

"I'm looking for Dr. Virum," he said, a little hastily.

"She's not in, but I can have another doctor look at you if you wish?"

"No, I was supposed to follow up with her," he lied, "Can I make an appointment to come back and see her?"

"I'm afraid she's out for the next two weeks, but I'd be happy to have her attending follow up with you?"

"No, that's alright. Thanks," he smiled, turning to leave.

Out for two weeks? That seemed unlike her. Gladio frowned in thought, wondering what could have happened. He lingered around the hospital longer than he needed to that night he parted ways with her, suspecting she was lying about having to work but would she really have left after that? It would have been late, far too late for someone to be wandering around alone at night no matter who they were. She was last seen with Cor this morning, he was escorting her away. The only place the Marshal would take her is the Citadel, that's where he always was. Gladiolus looked over at the looming building, knowing that the chances of finding her in there again were slim. She was in such a rush to leave there last night, so reluctant to be near any Crownsguard there was no way she was there. Shaking his head, he refused to succumb to his own paranoia. She could easily have just been at home resting, taking a much-needed vacation. A smile came across his face as he thought about their walk here last night. Gladio made his way back to his car, hearing her words in his head as she called him by name. With one last look toward the Citadel, he decided to go home. Assuming that something had happened, if Cor was involved, then he really had nothing to worry about.

...

About three or four days into her prison of the Citadel, Athenacia was moving easily enough that Cor let her out of her borrowed room back to work. It would have been a day sooner but they had a fight about it and she felt that he was keeping her in there out of spite. It didn't matter now. After showering in a temperature less warm than usual - the water did irritate her wound - she got ready to go work the entire day in the clinic. One of the real benefits of being here as a guest of the Marshal was that she had food delivered to her room three times a day. Real food. She also slept like a normal person while on her medication, no nightmares. It was amazing what taking real care of oneself could do. Athenacia didn't linger on those thoughts for very long, observing herself naked in the mirror of the bathroom and wiping the steam away. The scar along her neck ran lower than she thought, all the way down to her just below her shoulder. She then lifted her left arm slowly and turned her body to look at the stab wound. It was ugly and it would scar, but overall it was healing properly, no infection and the bruising was beginning to finally fade away. It was still tender, she was probably pushing it going to work, however, she was going stir crazy and couldn't sit here for any longer.

Dr. Virum pulled on her scrubs, light green ones, and began to blow dry her hair. It still reached the tops of her shoulders, the tips grazing against them as she worked. Pulling up her hair into her high ponytail, the same small little bits fell out as they usually did. There was no sense in bothering with makeup, her hazel eyes were normal looking and there were no longer bags under her eyes. Satisfied with her appearance, she pulled on her comfortable working shoes and grabbed her lab coat. There was no need to bring anything as she was confined to the Citadel limits. Virum sighed as she opened the door, noting the very non-discreet guards Cor had posted along the corridor. She paid them no mind as she made her way toward the clinic, the morning sun making its appearance over the horizon. As she opened the door there, happy she hadn't run into anyone on her way, she noted that the nurses at the station were looking at her in alarm. They probably weren't filled in on her arrival, which suited her fine. No one needed to know her business. Cor had her scheduled for the morning only but she planned on staying until the clinic closed. He wasn't so foolish as to assume that she wouldn't, however, she was particularly put out with him and ready for a fight if he tried it. The charge nurse smiled at her, handing her a tablet and offered her the use of Dr. Liato's office. Liato was away doing who knew what - probably forced into a vacation so that she had somewhere to be.

But she was bored. Two hours into the shift and not a single person showed up. After doing everything she could possibly do on her phone (including giving Gin a very long message about her horrible time away from the emergency department) she picked up the tablet, not really sure what else to do with herself. Dr. Virum began looking at different patients that had been in the last week. There were none she recognized and that made her feel good at least. There weren't any recurring patients either so the likelihood of her seeing any of them way low. Of course, she was really only absently looking for the two Crownsguard and their Prince that seemed to be pushing their way into her life. Her thoughts were interrupted by a nurse coming into the office. There was a patient waiting for her. Finally, only took three hours into the shift. Virum pulled up the new information that was placed into the shared files of the clinic computer. 20 year-old male, multiple contusions to the left arm, possible fracture. She frowned in thought as she noted there was a star beside the file. High priority patient. This person must be very important. Placing the tablet in the pocket of her lab coat, she walked into the examination room and almost wanting to laugh out loud at the irony of the situation.

"Hey Doc," said Gladiolus, smiling at her as her hazel eyes scanned the room.

"Dr. Virum," Ignis nodded his head politely.

The patient, who was indeed the young Prince just looked at her with a nervous smile.

"Gentlemen," she tried to keep her voice neutral, "No Mr. Argentum? Shocking," she spoke in a dry voice, grabbing a pair of latex gloves and putting them over her hands.

"Prompto was too lazy to show up today," shrugged Noctis.

"That's a shame," she replied absently, walking toward him.

"Surprised to see you in the clinic," said Ignis, looking at her suspiciously.

"I'm just doing a friend a favour," she responded, not even looking at him.

"You're very generous. Did you treat the man that attacked that young lady the other night?"

She blinked, not expecting him to ask her something like that, "I did. He was put on a suicide watch."

"He took his own life this morning," said Ignis.

Dr. Virum froze at his words. Her hazel eyes bore into Noctis's arm as the information swam within her head. She should have been there, should have been able to do something more to help the man. He was her patient and she should never have been forced away from the hospital like that.

"Doc?" Gladiolus reached out to gain her attention.

His hand grazed against her wound and she flinched violently away from it, hissing at the sting and snapping back to her reality. Ignis narrowed his green eyes thoughtfully before sharing a knowing look with the Shield.

"Are you okay?" asked Noctis.

"Yes, sorry. It's... never easy losing a patient," she said, smiling sadly at him. Virum observed his arm, carefully taking it in her hands. Her face twitched at her own movements, something neither Gladiolus nor Ignis had failed to notice. But she kept her focus on the Prince, "What happened?"

"I overshot my warp and crashed into the wall," he explained sheepishly.

She nodded, bringing her hand over the contusion that was over top the possible fracture, "Does this hurt?" she asked, pushing her fingers down on it.

"A little," Noctis winced slightly.

"And this?" she pushed in a completely different spot, and she got no response from him.

"No, nothing."

'How about this?" she asked pushing in one more spot just below the wound.

"Nope."

Virum nodded, satisfied, "No fracture or break, just bruising."

"That's a relief," said Ignis.

"Yeah, can't get out training now, Noct," agreed Gladiolus brightly.

"Is there perhaps anything you recommend?"

"For you, Mr. Scientia, I'm thinking some new friends," she smiled briefly at him. He returned it, and she put her attention back towards Noctis, "For you, Highness, simply just watch where you're going."

Noctis nodded at her, "Only if you drop that formality," he laughed a little.

"Would that I could, but this is a professional setting, Sorry,  _Highness._ Enjoy the rest of your day boys," she left the room promptly after that.

Virum quickly hurried into Dr. Liato's office, not wanting any of them to pop out and ask her what she was doing here in the clinic. Luckily, she could hear the three men exiting the clinic, the door closing firmly behind them. The shift started to pick up a little more after that. More Glaives and Crownsguard alike came in with the usual bumps and bruises from training. There were a couple of bones she had to mend, which was not pretty. Some soldiers just didn't do well with pain and she wondered why they would even enlist anyway. The close of the second shift had finally come. Virum had been so put into work she hadn't noticed the time. Her stomach growled in protest of not having food all day. This was why she never spoiled herself like this. It was going to be hard to go back to her take out diet when she got back to her regular job. The nurses had all vacated and she was the last one left, cleaning up around the clinic and placed the tablet she was using on the desk of Dr. Liato. Virum didn't even have any sort of bodily fluid on her scrubs or lab coat. That was a record. Usually, she had changed six or seven times by now in the emergency department.

Satisfied with everything, she closed the lights and opened the door, exiting the clinic. As an afterthought, she locked it and then turned to leave, only to be startled by the big form of Gladiolus standing in her way. The Shield had his arms crossed as he looked down at her, amber eyes angry and she was unsure of what to think right now. What was he even doing here? Was he going to try and get her home again? Athenacia couldn't have that, she wasn't even supposed to leave the Citadel but she didn't want him to know that.

"Can I help you?" she asked, confused as to why he was looking at her like that.

Gladio didn't respond, simply reached toward her wound and touched it again. His movements were quick and she was unable to stop him before realizing what he was doing. Athenacia flinched more violently this time away from his touch, as he used a little more force that also caused her to cry out. What she wouldn't give for her pain medication now. The physician looked at him in alarm, like a child who had been caught doing something wrong while one of her hands was holding onto the source of agony gently. His face only looked angry at the confirmation he had received from her actions.

"You were the one who was attacked," he stated, the emotions clear in his voice.

"I..." she looked down sighing. There was no sense in lying to him now, the cat was out of the bag, "Yeah, I'm the one from the news."

"You sliced him up and then saved him. That's what the locals near the incident are saying."

"I just reacted without thinking."

"Why didn't you let him die?"

Athenacia frowned angrily, looking up at him in disgust. So he did know who she was, believed everything that was said about her. Figures he would have found out eventually given who he was but she hated to admit that she liked the way he looked at her, like she was a person and no one to be feared. The illusion shattered, he would see her as everyone else did. So much for that, Athenacia was stupid to think otherwise in the first place. This is why she didn't want to get involved with him in the first place.

"Because I'm not the monster everyone says I am!" she blurted, angry that he would even ask her such a question.

He was a little too close to her so she struck him with her left hand as she spoke, wincing at the pain from her wound. Angry tears formed at the bottom of her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her, genuinely confused at her reaction.

The physician gasped, almost like she had taken a blow. Searching his amber eyes, she saw no trace of the usual judgement that followed her tail. Gladio really had no idea what she was saying. She jumped to conclusions, shaking her head and offering no explanation.

Gladio grunted, "You left the hospital after I was gone, didn't you?"

"Yeah... I had to go home, I wasn't supposed to be at work until the morning."

"Why didn't you just let me walk you home?" he was accusing her now.

Athenacia looked up at him, now realizing where she had gone wrong with him. Why he was really upset. He was a Crownsguard, a bodyguard, a sworn Shield to the Prince. Her getting attacked went against what he was trained to do probably from birth. It didn't matter, Athenacia wasn't the one he was meant to protect, she didn't need his protection. On top of that, he was hurt. Hurt that she didn't trust him, that she had lied to him about her destination.

"Because you don't need to know where I live," she answered truthfully.

"What d'you think I'm gonna to do?"

"I don't know, maybe find excuses to show up there like you do my work?!" she was getting angry now.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" he retorted, mad that he was caught.

"Ever since you figured out I work at the E.D you're always there! I didn't want the same thing to happen if you knew where I lived!"

"I'm not some kind of stalker!"

"You just don't get it, do you?! No means no! I do  _not_  want to grab a beer with you, I do  _not_  want to see you outside of a professional setting. You were a patient, that's it!" she screamed vehemently at him.

"Have it your way," he snarled at her.

"About fucking time! Good day, Mr. Amicitia!" and she turned on heel and walked briskly away from him, shaking in rage.

Athenacia rarely swore but she was happy that no one was around to hear that fight. Slamming the door to her room, her lab coat was roughly tossed to the ground before she threw herself on the bed in a huff. As the dust settled, she released a large sigh. She didn't mean to snap at him like that. It wasn't his fault that she was so screwed up, but the events of the other night combined with finding out that her patient died had really gotten to her and she needed an outlet. Ironic, now would have been the perfect time to grab that beer.

Gladiolus watched her walk away and disappear around the corner. He was fuming, his knuckles white from the grip he had on his own arms. She was right, he did come off as a stalker and if he had any chance of gaining her favour he just blew it right then and now. The Shield walked away from the scene, absently wondering if he would ever see her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks!


	8. Code Grey

Gladiolus was in a foul mood for nearly a fortnight, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by his friends - particularly, Noctis, as the Prince was the one set to train with him. One night it was so evident that he shouldn't be acting upon his emotions that Ignis put a stop to it abruptly and informed Gladiolus that the Prince would not come back until he got a hold of himself. The Shield just grunted, not saying anything to either of them. He was short with his father as well, and with his little sister, Iris. No one really knew why he was in such a sore mood but anyone could guess. While Clarus and Iris didn't know really much of anything about Gladio pursuing a doctor, the other three men did. Everyone had noticed that the large man refrained from going near the clinic and the hospital if he could avoid it. That was usual before he had met Dr. Virum but now it seemed he was much more adamant about it than he used to be, which could only led the others to assume that the two of them had a falling out. No one spoke out loud about their theories, Gladiolus was already a ticking time bomb it seemed and without actually talking to him about it well... it was anyone's guess.

Ignis and Noctis hadn't seen said doctor around their building. That wasn't unusual as they never actually noticed her before, or did and never paid any attention until now. It seemed that the woman had just up and disappeared. No one went to check the hospital - no one was injured enough for an emergency department - they could only assume that was where she was. A workaholic, and after her injury had healed it was safe to say that she probably went back to her regular job. Just as things were starting to quiet down with Gladiolus, both him and Ignis were called to the Citadel by the Marshal, Cor Leonis. It was an emergency situation and the two of them wasted no time in reporting in, donning their Crownsguard uniforms by requirement. They weren't the only ones called in. In a sea of guards, the two stood, patiently waiting for their Captain to inform them of what was happening. It was very rare that they were all called together like this and the tension in the air about it was evident.

...

Dr. Virum sighed as she tried to hold her patient down to administer Ativan. He was seizing, his stats plummeting no matter what she did. She was having one hell of a day, on hour 29 of her shift that wasn't even supposed to go on this long. But the entire city was having one hell of a day. Virum finally pushed the medication through the intravenous and he started to relax. Sighing with relief, she grabbed her tablet and punched in orders, the nurses quick to carry out her orders. She walked back to the nurse's station, taking a look around the waiting room and careful not to bump into anyone.

Athenacia had been back to work for two weeks, lucky that she saw no more sign of Gladiolus nor his friends. In truth, she felt guilty for their fight but she meant what she said and it seems he finally got the message and backed off. Virum finished up her exile at the Citadel and Cor let her go free to get back to her life. Instead of going home, she came straight to the hospital, unwilling to risk seeing the Prince and his guard, well aware they wouldn't come here looking for her. So she practically moved into the hospital, not even going to get her car. Sleep deprivation was almost immediate, the dark circles returning to her eyes, bloodshot and exhausted. Her body protested her poor treatment of it but that was the life of emergency medicine, something she resolved when she first started med school.

Insomnia was having one hell of a day. What was supposed to be a sixteen-hour shift turned into hour 29. Dr. Virum was properly knackered and had no chance to sit down for even a second to take a break. Everyone was called in since the night previous a major pile up on one of the main rods occurred and they had patients coming in like crazy. On top of that, there was a massive structure fire in one of the tall high rises. About three hours after that there was something wrong with one of the middle schools on the other side of the city and more patients were coming in. Now, she was just informed that a big team of Glaives were also on their way in from a severe battle with the Empire. And the icing on the cake? It was flu season, her waiting room was bursting. No one had any breaks with all of this happening. All the nurses and doctors were in, treating patients. They didn't have enough beds, not enough rooms, people were being treated in the corridors and the waiting room. On top of that, she had first year resident doctors beginning their training. Virum mostly had them dealing with the lesser issues and her boss was nowhere to be seen. Her body wished that she would stop moving but there was no way and everyone seemed to go to her for instructions. Rubbing her head, a sigh escaped her before she moved on to the next patient. There simply weren't enough people here for the number of patients and they were all getting restless, she could see the commotion ready to get worse. She was short security guards even.

And then a wave of Crownsguard burst into her emergency department, Cor Leonis at the lead of them. Everything stopped as they marched towards the nurse's station, no one really knowing what to do with them here. Dr. Virum could see Gladiolus and Ignis among them, eyes forward as they waited for instruction. She didn't linger her gaze on them, her attention brought back to Cor and what they were doing here.

"Cor, why are your Crownsguard here?" she asked as he walked towards her.

"You need all the hands you can get," he spoke.

"I also need all the room I can get, there's too many people in here!" she had to raise her voice as everyone started to go back to work, "Take them and get out!"

"No chance, Athenacia, you need them right now!"

"What I need are doctors! I have a school full of kids going into a quarantine zone! I've got a burning building, a multi-vehicle accident, a flu virus floating around my waiting room and I have van loads of injured Glaives coming in! I need supplies and med techs!"

"You need security before everyone here goes into a frenzy!"

"It's a little late for that!"

"They're staying, Athenacia, you don't have a choice! You're code grey!"

She growled, hating that he was right, "The Bossman isn't here!"

"He left it to you! He's the one who called! This is your department today, your battalion! Now lead, Virum!"

Her hazel eyes hardened, as the Crownsguard kept their position, nurses and doctors alike having to push past them as they frantically tried to treat patients. Virum looked at the rest of her staff, all of them ready to collapse with the amount of work going on. She then looked at what she was working with. The Crownsguard weren't many but enough that she would be able to bring things back to order around here. Meeting Cor's gaze once more, she knew he was waiting impatiently for her to act. Taking another quick glance at the chaos around her, she nodded at him once before setting her jaw and turning around to a stand on top of the nurse's station desk. Literally.

Gladiolus didn't react to her, pointedly keeping his gaze away from her. It was something that Ignis didn't fail to notice but they had no choice but to be here. Cor was very adamant about him being put in this unit as opposed to staying at the Citadel. He was a Shield to the Prince and Noctis was nowhere near here. Even Gladiolus couldn't avoid her as she stepped up on top of the desk, looking out among the emergency department. Cor wasn't kidding when he said they were needed, it was almost a war zone in here. His amber eyes studied her, noting that her body was completely exhausted. The Shield absently wondered how long she had been working, especially given all that was happening in the city right now. Despite all of it, she had a look to her he had never seen before.

"Listen up!" she shouted, everyone stopping what they were doing to look at her. She had a frown on her face as all eyes were on her, "We have an epidemic here. We need all hands on deck and we need them now. I need every doctor, every nurse that can be spared pulled out of other departments and down here. I need a quarantine zone for the incoming children from the school. I need volunteers to treat the patients in the zone. I need the burn unit and ICU completely patient free to make room for the structure fire. I need every ventilator, crash cart, every piece of machinery down here stat. I need the O.R free and ready for critical patients. Crownsguard, I need you stationed at every room, people are scared and dying they're going to get violent. We're drowning here people, we're going to have to make some seriously tough decisions. The charge nurses have bags of slips, everyone needs them. Our supplies are limited, use your best judgement and don't waste any time. We are code grey! I repeat we are code grey! Now move!"

Virum jumped down as everyone began to busy themselves. The first flux of patients arrived: the school kids led in on stretchers, some in critical condition, some able to walk on their own. They were all guided into the quarantine zone that had just finished setting up. There was something unknown going around and they couldn't risk it getting involved with the other patients. Dr. Virum was far too busy to tend to the quarantine zone. The victims of the fire were the next to pour in, and she had to make some seriously hard decisions on that. There was no time to think as more patients they had stabilized from the accident were starting to crash. High on her own adrenaline, she was running around from room to room, patient to patient in the blink of an eye without stopping. It wasn't just her, the nurses and other doctors, even the paramedics that could be spared were all here treating patients. Virum didn't want to admit that she was thankful that Cor burst in her door and forced the Crownsguard on her. They were helping immensely with keeping the halls cleared and patients calm while everyone was trying to work around them in the chaotic environment thrust upon them. Dr. Virum took a breath for the first time in a while, weariness resting deep in her bones. And then the Glaives started to come in. The doctor was at a loss of what to do but she kept moving from patient to patient. Without Tash or Gin directing people, she was sure things would be far worse.

Hour 36 and things seemed to be only getting worse. Virum just finished getting vomited on by a patient, issuing commands and then going back to the nurse's station. She scrutinized her department carefully before taking a deep breath, eyes burning at having to still be open. It was with relief that Tash had walked up and given her a large coffee, nodding at the older woman before taking a long drink and having another look around to collect her thoughts. The doctor spotted Gladiolus near the quarantine zone and she wasn't shocked that he put himself as far away from her as possible. Ignis wasn't far from her current position, his green eyes calculating as he met her gaze. She only offered him a faint, tired smile before finishing her drink and then going into the room he was standing outside of.

The patient in here wasn't doing all that great. He was a Glaive, a victim of the Empire's wrath, something she knew a little too well. Multiple lacerations and contusions, spinal cord nearly severed - it was amazing he was even breathing on his own. Dr. Virum pulled out her tablet, going over his treatment. It said there were magical burns but weren't documented on where. Frowning, she put on a fresh set of latex gloves, searching for the injuries. She could see them on his legs and more on his arm, covering about 30 percent of his body. She closed the curtain to respect his modesty, but in reality, she didn't want anyone to see what she was about to do. As she held her hands over the magical burns, a gold light began to shine from them. It latched onto the disfigured skin and the burns slowly started to disappear. Virum repeated the process on the other affected areas. As she was finishing, her patient began to wake up. The doctor widened her hazel eyes, as he looked at her and what she was doing in disbelief. There was no time to focus on that, the monitors beginning their tragic song. He was crashing, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as his heart rate plummeted. Shit.

"Need some help in here!" she shouted as she began her compressions. The curtain rolled back instantly, and only Ignis was there. Her other nurses her otherwise occupied. Better than nothing, "Keep compressions," she instructed.

He obliged as she began to rummage in the nearby med cart. Virum pushed epinephrine, through the patient's line. No improvement. Ignis kept up his compressions while Dr. Virum shouted out of the room.

"Need a crash cart!"

"There's none available!" Gin responded to her as she ran past the room and into another

"Shit!" she was looking around, her gaze meeting the man helping for a brief moment before she spotted Gladiolus walking by her room. It struck her then, "Gladio get in here!" she yelled at him. The panic in her voice had him turn around and walk in without question, traces of their falling out gone while they were both working, "Make a fist and strike him in the chest with the bottom of your hand," she instructed, her eyes a little wild.

"What?" he was confused at what she was asking him.

"Just do it!" she shouted in a frenzy, her heart racing and her breath heavy, "Clear!" she yelled, Ignis removed his hands. Gladiolus complied with her wishes and struck the man in the chest. The patient convulsed, his body jolting with the hit, "Continue compressions," she looked at Ignis as she pushed another syringe full of epinephrine, "Clear!" and Gladiolus repeated his earlier action. The monitor calmed down, her eyes glued to it as her hands absently went to his neck for a pulse check. She breathed a sigh of relief, "Normal sinus rhythm," she announced, looking over at the two men, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Ignis bowed his head towards her slightly, returning to his post.

Virum locked eyes with Gladiolus and he could see the relief that swept through her at the work he had done. She opened her mouth, wishing to say something else to him but she was far too tired to even think at the moment with all the chaos around her. When she was about to speak he just nodded briefly, a little stiff, before exiting the room. The doctor watched him go with regret on her face before back to her patient and noting the contusion formed from the action she took to keep him alive. He was back to being unconscious so she pushed medication and then updated his status. They would need this bed now that his immediate threat was cured. Releasing her umpteenth sigh, she walked out of the room, taking a look around. They didn't have enough machinery which meant they had to start making some tougher decisions.

"Nice thinking on the precordial thump," complimented Tash.

"Sometimes the old ways are the best ways," Virum responded, going to treat another patient.

...

Hour 42 and things were calming down just a little. There wasn't a massive wave of patients coming in, everyone was here and being treated as best as possible. Dr. Virum held another coffee in her hands, her eyes still burning at what she was putting her body through. But she had to keep going. Virum looked around at everyone, weary and tired as they trudged through their shift. It was so similar to the battlefield she was having trouble keeping her nightmare visions away with every blink. Even the Crownsguard station around were getting a little tired with all the activity around them. Thanks to Cor, they were trained well and the hostile activity was kept to a minimum. Dr. Virum couldn't even count the number of deaths she had called today of all different ages. Luckily, none of the children from the school had suffered, though finding out what caused them to be sick was taking longer than normal. They weren't sick enough to be a high priority, far more critical patients coming in from the war, the crash and the fire. The flu victims hadn't thinned out at all despite and it was unlikely they'd get out of here soon. Her residents, when they weren't needed for anything else, were doing their best to fan them out and while she was sure they didn't appreciate it, everyone has to start somewhere.

Dr. Virum walked towards another patient, near the quarantine zone where Gladiolus stood. Eight year-old female, accident victim. The patient was stuck on a gurney in the hallway since there wasn't a room for her or really anyone really. The mother was in ICU and there was no one there for her just yet. Virum pulled up her stats quickly, noting that she was on oxygen. She smiled at the young girl with bright blond hair done up in a braid with some dried blood on it and a trickle of it running down her delicate face. Scared brown eyes looked at the doctor sadly as she approached.

Gladiolus followed her with his amber gaze. Thirteen hours he had been standing here, there or anywhere, confined to the hospital until the code grey was over. He noted that Dr. Virum had consumed about six coffees in that time and heard that she was almost at two days straight of working. But she wasn't alone, the other doctors and nurses being here much longer than usual. It was no wonder she looked like she was withering away, why all of them looked like they were ready to collapse. Gladio wasn't sure how anyone could work this much while having to frantically run around. It made him look at her in a new sort of light.

"How are you?" she asked the child sitting on the bed.

"My head hurts," the little girl almost cried, but was trying to put on a brave face.

Gladiolus watched the two of them closely, unable to look anywhere else.

"Can I take a look?"

The girl nodded. Dr. Virum carefully took the girl's head in her hands, observing the cut on the forehead. She then pulled out her stethoscope and began to listen to the girl's breathing and heart rate. All her actions were gentle, focused, and the little girl just watched her with her big brown eyes. A nurse had come to stand near her in case she was needed.

"Where's my mommy?"

Gladiolus heard the doctor sigh, "She's upstairs. I have a very good friend helping her."

"Is your friend going to fix her?"

"He's going to do everything he can," Dr. Virum assured the girl.

"What's your name?"

She hesitated, but then answered, "Athenacia."

"That's a weird name."

She laughed a little, "I suppose so. What's your name?"

"Valentina."

"Very pretty."

"Thank you," she smiled briefly. She then saw Dr. Virum pull a syringe from the cart beside them, "Are you going to put that needle in me?"

"Yes, it's going to help your head."

"I don't like needles."

"I promise it will be a small pinch and then your head won't hurt anymore."

"Will you hold my hand?"

She smiled, "Of course."

Gladiolus watched as Valentina put her small hand into Athenacia's. The nurse swabbed the small upper arm of the child, and then looked at Dr. Virum. The young girl closed her eyes tightly and with a sympathetic look, Virum pushed the plunger into the girl's arm. She had a death grip on the doctor but she didn't seem to feel any pain. Gladio smirked as Valentina opened her eyes expectantly, wondering why she hadn't felt the small pinch. Dr. Virum was using her other hand to place a cotton ball on it, while a nurse took hold of it, applying pressure.

"Are you done?" asked Valentina.

"All done. You were so brave," said Virum soothingly.

"I didn't even feel it!"

"Because you're tough," replied the doctor, smiling as she poked the girl's nose.

Valentina released her hand, a smile on her face as she laid down on her gurney. Dr. Virum pulled the covers over her and then started to push buttons on the tablet. The nurse had walked away to tend to another patient. Athenacia took a look around, Gladiolus pulling his eyes away quickly once she met his gaze. He saw in his peripherals that she had walked away, and he again looked in her direction. The Shield brought his gaze to the little girl who was now sleeping soundly in her bed. A tender smile reached his lips as he focused on his job.

...

Hour 50 came and with it some relief. The victims of the crash were treated and sent home, aside from the critical patients who were scattered between ICU and other recovery rooms. The apartment fire victims were also treated and sent home aside from their critical patients. The outbreak in the middle school turned out to be nothing to worry about, after all, the quarantine unnecessary. So one by one they were treated accordingly and released to their parents. Finally, all the Glaives were properly treated and discharged effortlessly. The patients in the waiting room had thinned out as well, the resident doctors doing a thorough job with them. Hallways were clear of patients, the rooms starting to empty aside from what was needed. Tensions around the department were calming down and as the sun was beginning to rise, the code grey was finally over. Doctors and nurses took their much-needed breaks and some of them were sent home with relief. With Dr. Virum's okay to Cor, the Crownsguard were well thanked and dismissed. Everything was going back to normal

Athenacia breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the glass sliding doors of the emergency department for the first time in days, still wearing her dirty scrubs. She didn't even care she had been up for a little over two days straight with no time in between. The breeze blew her hair, hitting her face and bringing a warm feeling through her body. A brief look to the sky, she watched as the staff and Crownsguard alike began their trek home. The doctor gave a brief smile to Ignis on his way out, a tired one to Cor accompanied by a nod and aversion of eyes only to realize she didn't have her car here. She sighed again, almost laughing at her own stubbornness.

The physician started to walk toward her apartment building, shoving her hands in the pockets of her lab coat and adjusting her purse so that it wouldn't annoy her legs while she walked. At this point, she wished she did take the time to change, convinced she looked like she had been through an intense murder horror film. Her eyes were still burning but in just one more hour, she would be able to collapse on her bed and sleep. Athenacia had never looked forward to sleep so much before in her life. As she was leaving the hospital parking lot and entering the main street, her attention was brought to a suspicious car that pulled up beside her, slowing down to stay parallel to her. She looked at it curiously, the window rolling down which prompted her to stop and bend over a bit to look at who was stopping her.

"Hey Doc, need a ride?" asked Gladiolus, "Promise I won't drop you off at home," he offered her a smile.

Athenacia laughed a little, walking towards the car, "Sure, if you don't mind getting blood, bile, spit and I don't even know what else on the seat."

He grinned at her, "I'll send you the cleaning bill."

Her smile grew as she opened the door. The first thing she noticed was that he had removed his jacket and was lucky that he wasn't the one covered in various bodily fluids. Athenacia fastened her seat belt and leaned her head against the seat. Gladiolus took off then, and she turned her head slightly to look out the window. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as he drove, catching him stealing glances at her in her peripheral vision. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open but the ride home wasn't going to be very long, she could stick it out a bit longer.

"You can drop me off at home," she spoke softly, keeping her head on the seat as she turned towards him.

Gladio nodded at her, keeping his eyes trained on the road. Athenacia observed his profile, the sunlight shining on his features between the buildings. He was tired, having had to work for hours on end like herself and he wasn't nearly as haggard as she was, definitely handling it better. She closed her eyes slowly turning her head back over to the window, trying to keep them open. As they pulled up to the building, she was a bit sad the ride was over. The physician removed her seat belt and got out of the car, however, didn't stray too far, leaning on the outside of the door after it was closed. That light smile still on her face, she turned so that she was facing him. The Shield rolled down the window and she put her head on her arms to rest there as she met his gaze.

"Thank you," she gave him a tired smile.

"No problem," he replied.

She nodded at him, lingering a little longer than she needed, "About that beer..."

"What about it?"

Athenacia smiled, still tiredly but unable to take her eyes off of his face. He had a brow raised as he waited patiently for her to speak and she felt like she was in a dream almost.

"I'm free after I wake up."

Gladiolus grinned at her, "Sorry, I don't date doctors."

She laughed, biting her lip a little nervously, "Your loss. I'll be around here sometime close to eightish. If you change your mind."

"Good day, Athenacia."

"Good day, Gladio," she laughed a little again, picking herself up and turning her back to walk into her building.

Gladiolus's stare followed her every movement until he could no longer see her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading and the kudos! you guys are awesome!


	9. Some Ego

Athenacia woke up after nearly twelve hours of sleep, dreamless, just the way she liked it. A sigh escaped her, drawing in a sharp breath before stretching her entire body as far as it would allow. Releasing another small, content sigh, she threw blankets off her, noting the sun was on its way down the sky. The physician ran a hand through her hair as she stood up and looked out her apartment windows. A corner unit gave her a wall of windows, allowing her the sight from both sides. Her bedroom had the most windows in it and the cross breeze was nice in the warmer months. Athenacia also enjoyed the view, being on the side that faced the park and not the other buildings. Her hands found its way her phone, checking the time. There was a little less than two hours until it was 8:00. A smile tugged at her lips, wondering if her date would show up at all. Either way, she was going out for a beer or seven, after the last couple of days. First and foremost, her stomach told her how much she wanted breakfast. Athenacia walked to her kitchen, not even bothering with clothes and opened the fridge. Right, she hadn't been home in weeks, she had no food. Sighing, she went back to grab her phone, calling the diner down the street and ordering delivery. It was a good thing they served breakfast all day.

The girl walked into her bathroom, turning on the light and observing herself in the mirror. Her hazel eyes always went to that ugly scar on her neck first, looking at it with distaste. Tearing herself away quickly, she then observed her face, satisfied that she looked normal. No dark circles or bloodshot eyes. Another smile reached her lips until she saw the rats nest of hair on her head. It was damaged, frayed and most of the highlights growing out. Athenacia was definitely going to have to do something about that before she went anywhere. Sighing, she went back to her room, pulling on some clothes. Since she had a shower the night previous - coming home covered in who knows how many different fluids - she went back to her closet to find something for her possible date. Smiling, she found the perfect dress to wear. Despite being fairly low cut, the long sleeves flared out at the end. It whispered as she moved, clinging to her hips and reached down to mid-thigh, flaring out a little at the end. Midnight blue with colour with white accents near the end of the sleeves and bottom of the seams, she was a little stunned at what she was seeing. Athenacia couldn't recall the last time she had dressed up at all for anything. The sound of her doorbell startled her from her thoughts, tearing her eyes away from her reflection and scurrying to her front door. She smiled, taking her food and then sitting in her breakfast nook, shovelling it into her mouth like it she had been on the brink of starvation the last fortnight. In many ways that was almost the case. The doctor was careful not to get anything on the dress, reminding herself next time to just wear plain clothes before eating. None of that seemed to matter right now. When she was finished, she went back to her bathroom, removing the dress and then fussing with her hair. Glancing at the clock on her night table, she cursed herself, hating that there was no time for her to properly prepare herself for her date.

And then it nearly 8. As she finished with her hair, only pulling half of it up on the top of her head and letting the rest lay down, a flood of panic surfacing within her at the idea of not being ready on time. Swiftly, she finished her slight makeup and pulled that dress back on. Athenacia put on her jewelry, a necklace that hung perfectly against her skin and accented her usual tree disc pendant. Taking another critical look at herself, she was satisfied that her scar would be hardly visible. Athenacia raised her eyebrows in shock at her appearance, hardly recognizing herself. Tonight was her night, one way or another.

Making her way to the foyer, she threw open the doors of her closet and pulled out a set of opened toed black strapped shoes. They had a small wedge, nothing too high but she could still run in if necessary. With one last look at herself, she grabbed a nicer purse and then left her room. Her shoes clicked on her own floor as she exited her apartment, having to turn back as soon as she reached the elevator to lock her door. One day she would remember to do it before walking away. As she rode the lift down, she was relieved that she was by herself. Athenacia pulled out her phone, noting that it was ten minutes past eight. She did say ish but there was no guarantee that he would show up, as much as she actually wanted him to. Ignis was completely right, Gladio tore down at her defences until she was no longer willing to put up the fight, and then he won. She smiled to herself, having to admit that even Cor was right: she was slacking. The girl didn't dwell on those thoughts, as she arrived on her floor and stepped out of the elevator.

Athenacia walked out of the building, the evening air warm on her exposed skin. The sun was just disappearing under the horizon, getting ready to settle in for the night. There wasn't anybody downstairs so she walked off to the side to stay out of the way of the door. The physician put her face back in her phone, checking messages responding accordingly. Apparently, a lot can happen when one works two days straight in a code grey and then sleep for half a day afterwards. Tash sent her updates on Valentina's mother and was relieved when she heard that the two would be good to go soon. That little girl trusted her so easily and Athenacia was happy she was able to help them somehow. Her hands absently went to her womb, a gesture she hardly took notice of anymore. Heaving a sigh, she looked up at the sky, the stars beginning to shine out and most of the city lights illuminating to adapt. Looking around again, there was still no one in sight besides other people showing up for various reasons. She looked at her phone, noting it was nearly half passed.

The doctor chewed her lip. What was she even doing? After everything that happened and her insistence on not dating Crownsguard, why did she even expect him to show up? So what if he gave her a ride this morning, he didn't really come off as a complete jerk. What was she thinking? Stupid girl, she obviously was way too tired this morning to be thinking clearly at all. Athenacia wanted him to get the message and he finally did. So why was she so upset about it all of a sudden? It wasn't like she was thinking about him ever since they had that fight in the Citadel. Not like she was going to treat 23 year-old male's and expecting him to be there or something. That was just him being disruptive, she didn't actually come to  _enjoy_  that or anything - never looked forward to it only to be disappointed after she yelled at him. The physician sighed, hating that she let him get under her skin. This was stupid, she should have never bothered. Putting her phone away, she began to walk back towards the door. She could easily finish the beers in her fridge before going out.

"Hey Doc!" she heard Gladio's voice behind her. Turning slowly to face him, she was a bit alarmed that he actually showed up, "You leaving already?"

"I had a better offer," she smiled slightly.

Athenacia tried desperately to keep herself cool but her insides were bursting at the very idea of not being stood up. She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks at her earlier thoughts and was a little nervous now that he was standing right near her. Did it suddenly get warmer out? Or was that her? She wasn't so sure anymore.

"You're a terrible liar, there isn't anything better," he grinned at her.

"Ego much?" she laughed a little.

"On you? Guess we'll find out."

The doctor didn't respond to that but instead walked down the few steps of the entrance to stand a few feet in front of him with a shy smile on her face. Gladiolus kept his amber gaze on her as she moved and then began to follow her as she led the way North. The Shield walked beside her at her leisurely pace, keeping a respectable distance between them. In truth, they were a bit awkward after everything that happened, so the small walk was silent but not completely unpleasant. Gladio took the lead, going three blocks North and then two blocks East. He was familiar with the area and wasn't looking for anything overly extravagant.

The bar they walked into was the exact place he was aiming for. There was a small band preparing their set on the stage, nothing overly loud as it was still early. The Shield led her toward a table that wasn't too far away from the stage, with tall chairs in front of a window. There were icicle lights hanging from every part of the ceiling, other old novelties decorated on the wall. The bar was along the back wall, bright lights highlighting the menu of bottles that were placed neatly on never-ending shelves in front of the mirror. Solid wood stood in front, polished and bright with stools to match lined up alongside it. There were at least three people behind it and patrons here sparsely fanned out, more coming in as the minutes passed. Athenacia looked around, taking in her surroundings and studying them. She had never been here before but so far she liked what she saw. Gladiolus had flagged down one of the passing waitresses, ordering their drinks while she was observing her surroundings. Her gaze finally fell on his amber stare, and she was a little shy from it, looking down at her hands after a few seconds. It hit her then, she hadn't been on a date in years. All of a sudden she was very nervous about being out with him like this, the confidence she felt earlier shattering as the heat rose to her cheeks. Athenacia snapped out of it as her drink was brought to her, smiling politely and taking a long drink, welcoming down her throat.

"What is this?" she asked, not expecting the strange aftertaste.

The doctor looked at the label of the bottle curiously in her hands.

"You don't get out much do you?" he responded, obviously trying not to laugh.

An eye roll and a smirk found his gaze, "I'm more of a stay in type person when I actually go home."

"We could have stayed in," he gave her a wolfish sort of smile.

She let out a small laugh, "As you said, I'm not some bar floozy, I'm a doctor."

Gladiolus stopped mid drink, nearly choking on it and looking at her, "So you heard that huh?"

"No, but the nurse did. She only heard the end of that conversation - whatever it was."

"Well, that's a relief."

Athenacia laughed again, taking another drink and enjoying it this time as she knew what to expect. The doctor was aware of his gaze upon her, shifting from her face to his hands. It caused her shyness to come back but she was sure she would get over it shortly. This was why she didn't go out. Well, this and working more often than not.

"That little girl find her mom?" asked Gladiolus.

His voice snapped her out of her reverie, "Which girl?"

"The one from last night?"

"Oh, Valentina. Yeah her mom came out of surgery and all is well. They'll be able to leave at the end of the week."

"That's something at least. Lots of people were lost."

She nodded, "It was my first ever code grey."

"You did good, from what I could see."

"Thanks. It was definitely my longest shift."

"How long?"

"I think in the end it was roughly 50 hours."

He raised his eyebrows impressed, "You got me beat."

"Yeah, I imagine you work long hours being a sworn Shield," she smiled.

He shrugged, "Some days. I'm still in training as much as Noct."

"Oh?"

"It never ends, until Noct is King and my dad steps down."

She looked thoughtful, "I suppose that would be the natural way."

He nodded, "Long way off though."

The image of the King in his bedroom while she examined him some time ago came into her mind. Regis was rapidly ageing, his life force draining every moment used the magic needed to keep up the shield. He couldn't sustain an assault on the barrier, no way. However, that was only something she was supposed to know, another secret she was to keep.

"You okay?" he looked at her curiously.

"Yeah," she blinked, shaking herself out of her thoughts. She tried to smile at him reassuringly, but he was still thoughtful as he looked at her, "When did you pick up the sword?"

"As early as I can remember."

"And you knew? That you wanted to be a sworn Shield?"

"There's nothing else I could be really. You always want to be a doctor?"

"Yes and no. My training started early, but I never really wanted to kill people. I know that we had to, but... I was always more of a healer."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"How long did you fight the war?"

Athenacia sighed sadly, "Too long."

Gladio didn't say anything else, seeing the look on her face. Her past wasn't something she wanted to remember, that much was evident. As they finished their drinks, more were brought to them. The bar was starting to fill up with more patrons as the time passed, something she was quick to notice.

"That man I punched, did he live?" asked Gladiolus, trying to take her mind off her current train of thought.

"Yeah. He's a little bruised but he'll make a full recovery," she replied.

"I didn't know you could punch a heart back to life."

"Precordial thump," she corrected gently.

"What?"

"That's what I had you do. Precordial thump."

"I didn't know that was a thing."

"Oh yeah. There aren't crash carts in the field, so you kind of have to think on the spot."

"You've done it before?"

"Not me personally. Most of the time we just used the King's magic, enough to help out, but I never liked to rely on it."

"Can you still use it?"

"Yeah. After everything, he still loans it to me. I haven't used it in years. I didn't want to shock the patient and overload him. Having you do it was far less risky to his health."

"So I saved a life?"

She laughed, "You were a big help, yes."

"I saved a life," he said smugly.

"There's that ego again, wow."

Gladiolus only grinned at her as she once again bit her lip nervously.

"With your moves, you could've gone anywhere. Why emerge?"

"I like to keep busy. Helps me focus on what needs to be done and forget about the past."

"Yesterday was a lot like a battlefield, not just an emergency room."

"Well, seeing as you know I'm a former combat medic you can see why I would feel so comfortable in that kind of situation."

He took a drink, deciding to agree with her, "Guess so."

They had a few more drinks, talking absently about his choosing to abide by his family's calling and her decision to submerge herself in her work. Gladiolus was careful not to dig too deep into her past, knowing that it made her uncomfortable but she was feeling more at ease as the time went on. Likely it was as she drunk more but she wasn't going to put too much thought into it. He was talking more than she was and rightfully so as he led a much more exciting life than she did. As he got into tales of a young Prince she laughed and he loved making her smile. They left once the music began to play louder, neither of them really interested in shouting at each other. Gladio opened the door for her and she stumbled a little on her way out. Her head was swimming, it had truly been a while since she came out for drinks. He was beside her in an instant, taking her arm gently to help steady her. The girl didn't resist, deciding it was probably better this way. They were walking at a leisurely pace again, mostly so that she didn't trip over her own feet. She couldn't remember being such a lightweight before.

Athenacia somewhat led them toward the park not too far from her building. The stars were out and the moon as well, helping to illuminate their path. There were no childhood stories she could share with him so instead, she talked about various patients she had treated over the years. The more comical ones, she didn't want to bring the mood into something serious. And their stories continued as they walked down the cement path from one end to the other, passing other people on their way. Athenacia was perfectly at ease for the first time tonight and they both enjoyed each others company. As they came towards the end of the park Gladiolus began to lead them further South. There were more people on the streets walking about than in the park but no one really paid them any mind. Insomnia was a big place, filled with thousands of people. It was unlikely you saw someone more than once while walking down the street and yet here she was with someone who she seemed to constantly cross paths with. For such a big place, this was a small world.

"There's a lot of cold's that go around," observed Gladiolus. They were back to talking about the hospital.

"Well sure," she said, "Viruses mutate, and we live in a bubble. It's not really that much of an anomaly."

"Never really thought about it."

"It's just what I've noticed."

They turned the corner to where late night street vendors and late shift workers walking through. There were some couples walking about as well, and groups of friends enjoying a night out. The different odours reached her nostrils and she found herself ravenous all of a sudden. Gladiolus was much on the same page as he led her towards the noodle stand. He ordered for both of them and they sat at a nearby table.

"Nothing like cupped noodles," he said happily as he ate.

She laughed, "I've overeaten them. On my schedule they're convenient but I'm not really much of a fan anymore."

"I don't think I can trust someone who doesn't like cupped noodles," he told her seriously.

"I never said I didn't like it, just a little sick of them."

"I don't know, Doc, this isn't something you can just get sick of," he sounded dubious

"I'm so sure the big bad Gladiolus Amicitia is easily deterred by cupped noodles," she laughed at him again.

"They're easy and like you said convenient, not to mention delicious."

"But why the obsession? I've been in the Citadel, you're Amicitia, practically the second most important family in this city. Surely you have the best foods available to you, yet you eat this garbage."

"You keep talking like this and I'm not gonna want to see you again," he raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think I want to see  _you_ again?" she smirked playfully.

Gladio finished his noodles, bringing his amber gaze to her face. The look he was giving her was calculating and he raised a brow as she waited for him to speak. Her heart was fluttering, scared almost that he actually didn't want to see her a second time. What if she was blowing this? But the alcohol in her system was thoroughly prepared for anything. She was going to win him over. Somehow.

"Why wouldn't you?" he asked finally.

"And here we're graced again with your ego. That, for one, is something I'm sure many could do without."

"It's part of my charm."

She laughed, "Our poor Prince, how does he put up with you?"

The Shield only grinned at her as they stood. Athenacia was able to walk just fine but took his arm anyway. They walked the long way back toward her home, enjoying the night breeze and not wanting to part ways just yet. At some point, her head was leaning against his arm as they kept moving. They were silent for now but it was no longer awkward. The night was getting later, the breeze becoming slightly cooler. The doctor could see her building looming over them as they approached, lights twinkling in random rooms, occupants still awake at this hour. She couldn't see her own apartment from this angle but she was sure it was dark since she wasn't in it. They circled around to the entrance where they had met at the beginning of the night. Athenacia picked up her head as they stopped at the railing. It was with regret that she detached herself from him, taking a step up one of the cement stairs and turning to face him. With the height of the stair beneath her feet she was basically eye level with him. Gladiolus had a gentle smile on his face and she was back to being nervous about what to do next. It was the way he was looking at her that seemed to catch her so off guard. Not like she had never seen it before but for some reason tonight it seemed... different somehow.

"Same time next week?" he smirked.

"Getting a little ahead of yourself aren't you?" she raised her brow.

"You didn't have fun?"

She huffed, "I did, but my schedule isn't exactly something I can plan out. And I still haven't decided if I want to see your ego again."

"We're a package deal."

"Not much of a deal then," she smirked.

"If you don't, then Prompto might have a few more accidents. He's a real clutz."

She laughed at him, "Well then for the sake of Mr. Argentum's health I guess I have no choice but to agree."

The Shield was still grinning, his eyes almost mischievous as he looked at her. Athenacia bit her lip nervously, not really prepared for the way he was still looking at her. She didn't even notice the gravitational pull towards him until her eyelids felt heavy and the ghost of his nose was touching her. His warm breath sent a shiver down her spine, as the gap between them was closing.

"Gladio!" they heard a voice call out to him.

Athenacia nearly jumped out of her skin, coming back to reality. And then she felt nausea in her stomach, all the beer and the noodles starting to take their toll. Gladiolus had turned to the source of the noise, only to see Prompto walking toward them with a smile on his face. The doctor wasn't sure if he saw her but as he seemed to trip over his feet, she took that moment of distraction to bolt into the door and get inside. She needed a bathroom and she needed it now.

Gladiolus heard the door close and looked, only to see that she was gone. The Shield growled at his interruption as it began to walk closer to him. Prompto was completely ignorant of the situation, meaning he must not have seen that Gladio was with someone. He crossed his arms over his massive chest as his friend was coming to stand in front of him.

"You just getting here or leaving?" asked Prompto.

"Just got here," he grunted.

"I didn't even think you were coming," replied Prompto as he led the way into the apartment building.

Gladiolus was silent, his thoughts far away from the present moment. He pulled out his phone as the other man was chattering happily about something uninteresting, clicking her name.

_Night Doc._

As they were in the elevator his phone chimed after they had reached their desired floor.

_Good night, Gladio._

He smiled to himself before putting his phone away and entering Noctis's home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and your kudos!


	10. Technical Difficulties

The ground shook beneath her, causing her to lose her balance. The bodies strewn around her were mostly dead and she struggled to keep consciousness, her own body protesting in pain. She had no idea how she ended up here but she was stuck and could no longer remain on her feet. It became evident she would die here, closing her eyes and finally knowing she could rest in peace. Unfortunately, death didn't come as she wished, she could still feel pain and anger within her. The quakes and tremors, the sounds of her fallen comrades screaming their agony before they fell in battle and chaos around them, she would die with those. It was better this way, but her resolve said no.

She willed herself to move before she was buried in flying debris like the rest of them. The sky was an angry red, the wind ripping apart at her skin. More devastation followed every second her eyes were open. There wasn't a way to stop this, it was a tangled mess that consumed everything around it. The force was much greater than anticipated. This was overkill, and yet the attacks still came in full force. They never ended, this was going to be annihilation. This was a mistake on both ends and it had to be covered up by any means necessary. No one was getting out alive.

But she willed herself to move, she had to, there was no other option. Cries of pain, dying and suffering filled her ears and tore at her very being, a shaking breath escaping her as the smell of blood and decaying flesh high in the air reached her nostrils. Lifeless bodies flew in the sky like dolls, strung up and used as a weapon against them. The ones that were barely alive were frozen in fear, contorted in pain as they could do no more to save their own life. They spectated as the world around them was enveloped in chaos, shattering in a spiral of destruction from their losing battle. They could only watch as their death came slowly, mouths agape and the life dying from the insides of their very eyes.

And she willed herself to move until finally, she was on her knees. Minor debris collided with her, some of it hurting worse than others. Big rocks and pieces of the buildings in the abandoned town she was in flew around in the blowing wind, grazing her skin as they tore through her in their unforgiving path. She lacked the ability to cry out anymore, and she wished she was numb. With every prick, every piece that touched her skin even just slightly sent a violent reverberation of pain throughout her body. The agony made her want to fall again and give up entirely. Willing to survive was the only thing that kept her going, despite the fact that she didn't want to feel anymore, didn't want to know the woes of war as she did now.

So she willed herself to move, feeling dizzy as the raging wind brought more agony to her. In a haze, she could see the three red-eyed omens of death while they made their way closer. Her breath was heavy as her eyes were trained on them, filling her heart with fear, an unbearable sense of grief at the hatred and pain they caused in their path. This wasn't right, no one could hope to defeat such monsters. They were berserk, not even obeying their own masters as they moved closer and closer towards an unknown target. The need to kill, the need to destroy and devour all life was the only thing that kept them going. Chaos followed in their wake while the wind only accelerated its path of rage and consumed all in the path. And they had a very big appetite. This wasn't right.

While she willed herself to move, gaining the ability to be on her feet, her legs trembled beneath her as more screams of her comrades filled her ears. Tears welled up in her eyes, the aching pains only getting worse while she was awake. They were all dying around her and she was powerless to stop any of it, powerless to anything besides watch in the fear that sunk deep into her bones. It took all her strength just to withstand the blows she was taking from the tornado. To continue to stay on her shaking feet as the ground was quaking, begging her to return to it was taking all the strength she had left. The tears streamed down her cheeks as every passing second she was in more agony than the last.

Then she willed herself to move, knowing that here and now she couldn't give up. She had fought too hard to be here and she wasn't going to let anyone down, she had to focus on winning, on staying alive long enough to defeat the darkness that wished to consume them all. Making her way slowly toward the source of the devastation, she could feel her skin start to burn but she felt no more pain as her eyes clouded over and she forcefully pushed herself further and further. Her breath was heavy, her heart hammering in her chest. She had to keep going, had to stop the chaos. An azure glow started to emanate from her, growing hotter with each passing second. The pressure was pulsing through her entire body, from her core and to her fingertips. A scream erupted from her lips, starting from her throat and excelling while it echoed through the entire battlefield, no longer able to withstand it.

Athenacia shook awake, hitting her head on something hard. Deep breaths came in heavily as she held her head where pain pulsed through it thanks to the new impact. Her eyes were sandy, mouth left with a foul taste in it, throat dry, and she rolled over onto her back on the cool surface she was lying on. When she opened her eyes they squinted at the bright lights burning through her retinas. Letting out a very audible groan, she recognized her bathroom ceiling, the tiles of the floor dusty on either side of her head. Composing herself, she looked around her in a tired haze. Her head was beside her toilet, the thing she had smacked it on as she was jerked out of her nightmare. Moaning in displeasure, she could see her shoes thrown around lazily on the ground as well, the ones she wore last night. The bath mat sitting in front of her tub was at her feet, her purse on the ground and her own keys off to the side near the doorway.

Relinquishing the hold upon her head, she grabbed the first thing she could to try and pull herself up slowly. Dizziness greeted her, the world spinning at the gesture and she leaned over in her toilet bowl to vomit. There was already some in there, meaning she had been in here the entire night. The taste of her own bile only provoked more, the burning sensation in her throat the source of her pain. Forcing the last of it out, she drew in a deep breath before flushing the toilet as she was sure there was no more coming out. Sighing at her own illness, the events of the previous night coming to her. A tender smile passed over her lips, remembering that she had gone out with Gladiolus and drunk way too much - though she was sure it was the noodles that really did her in. It was with relief that Prompto had distracted them, giving her ample time to run up here and vomit. That was a shame that she was able to keep to herself. In the end of it, her bathroom floor tiles were nice and cool and she didn't even notice that she passed out here. This was not the best of her moments but at least it was one shared to only herself. The doctor wasn't sure vomiting was a very good first impression, and then she frowned, wondering why she cared so much about it.

Athenacia looked around for her phone, wanting to check the time. Groaning outwardly, she saw it was in the toilet, far too big to get flushed. Just great. The physician wiped the vomit from her chin and reached in with her other hand to fish it out. It was toast, she wouldn't use it again knowing it was sitting in a toilet bowl full of bile. Great job. This meant she would have to get a new one as soon as possible. Pushing herself to her feet by using her toilet as leverage, she had a look at herself in the mirror. The word train wreck came to mind but she was sure that wasn't even accurate enough. There was make up all over her face completely melted it looked like, smeared to imperfection. Vomit crusted in her hair, everything about her appearance completely dishevelled. Athenacia couldn't even run a hand through her hair, the tangled mess held together by dried up bile. Honestly, what was she thinking? She had come out much cleaner after most shifts than one night of irresponsible drinking. Ripping off her clothes, she immediately started the water for one of her scorching hot showers. It was going to be a long day.

...

A week had passed and it felt like it was just flying by. Gladiolus was a little sullen about it as it came to a close. Anyone could notice he was a bit off but they didn't ask him about it. In truth, he probably wouldn't have told them anyway. The Shield was on his phone often, checking for a response to the few messages he had sent to Athenacia. Things were dead silent on her end and it made him uneasy. He was under the impression that they had a good time the other night, that all was well with them. That the ice was finally broken and he could maybe start seeing her on more of a regular basis. But she had bid him good night and not responded to a message since and that was what made him so sullen as the time went by. The Shield didn't want to assume that something had happened but he definitely wanted some sort of explanation as to why she just changed face and decided to ignore him. Gladio would have stopped by her place, but he had no idea which unit she lived in and neither did anyone else. The only person was Cor, and Gladiolus didn't think asking his Captain for that information was a very good idea. It would raise questions, ones that he wasn't interested in answering. While the Shield was sure that only Ignis could decipher what was actually going on with him, he was happy his friend was respecting his privacy. The tactician saw everything, even when he pretended not to.

As he finished his session within the training room by himself, he grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Gladio kept the towel around his neck, his chest bare as he fished in his things for his phone. Still nothing. Grunting, he put his phone away as he heard someone walking in. He looked up only to be greeted by the stern look of Ignis. The young Adviser looked like he was going to begin his own session and Gladiolus felt he could go another round with a partner this time. Throwing away his towel, the two of them went to stand a good distance apart - and then it began. Ignis was much faster than his friend, as should be expected given the obvious size difference. The two of them had trained together for years so the Shield was prepared for the first tentative attacks that came at him. The younger man was much stronger than he looked and his quick and precise moves made him a hard target to hit. It was what made training with him so fulfilling. They were complete opposites in fighting styles, and yet, one couldn't outdo the other. Tonight, however, Ignis was at more of an advantage starting out fresh while Gladiolus had been in here for a couple of hours already. Still, the Shield could defend himself just fine, taking no injuries.

It was actually a mistake on Ignis's part that ended the fight. After about an hour of it, the Adviser miscalculated one of his usual moves, Gladiolus parrying unexpectedly and ended up with a slash on his right arm. The blood flowed freely and Ignis was immediately administered a potion. His gash, however, was quite large, something that the Shield felt guilty about. Though the man wasn't too hurt from the flesh wound, he still found it tender with the potion. Gladio grabbed a fresh towel and gave it to Ignis, helping apply pressure to stop the bleed.

"Excellent move," Ignis complimented.

Gladiolus shrugged, "You come off predictable to someone like me."

"A mistake I must rectify for next time."

Ignis removed the towel and Gladiolus had a better look at the wound. He frowned, "You should probably get that looked at."

The younger man regarded his friend suspiciously for a brief moment but then agreed. The pain he felt was minimal with the potion, however, he would need some help with it since he couldn't fix himself up with only one arm. The two men cleaned up their mess, Gladio checking his phone one last time before they started to walk down the Citadel hallways toward the clinic. The sun was setting, night coming upon them once more. They were silent as they walked, neither of them needing to fill in gaps of time with meaningless words. Gladiolus was a man of action and Ignis silently studied everything around him and as they came to the entrance of the clinic, it was closed early. That was a bit shocking, to say the least and Ignis immediately pulled out his phone, looking for somewhere else they could get his injury properly dressed and treated. Unfortunately, he found nothing else open. There was no helping it, he would have to take a trip to the emergency department. At least things wouldn't be overly hectic over there like the last time.

"I'll go to the emergency room at the hospital," said the Adviser starting to walk away.

"I'll take you," offered Gladiolus.

Ignis kept his suspicion to himself as the two of them left, walking toward the elevator. The ride down was uneventful and quick and they took Gladiolus's car. Ignis was fine leaving his own here for now, knowing that he wouldn't really need it. Besides, until he got his arm looked at he wasn't going to test out driving. Still, Gladio jumping at the opportunity to go the emergency room was still off given his strange behaviour as of late.

"I do hope you aren't using me as an excuse to follow up with Dr. Virum," said Ignis as they left the Citadel grounds.

"What d'ya mean?" asked the Shield, his amber eyes thoughtful.

"Your outing the other day. It's become obvious she hasn't responded to your further advances."

"What outing?"

"Don't play coy, Gladio. Your car was parked at the building long before your arrival that night. The only conclusion I can draw is that she finally agreed to see you on your terms and afterward, she has ceased all contact - which explains your otherwise abnormal nature."

"I didn't cut you up on purpose if that's what you're getting at."

Ignis nodded, letting the matter drop. Gladiolus kept his focus on the road, the streets not nearly as packed, as usual, being the hour that it was. The sun was fully set and the stars were out in full nature, obscured by the light pollution of the city, something that always bothered him. He enjoyed falling asleep under the stars, the night breeze blowing on his face and the crackling of a fire in his ears, keeping him warm. That something that just couldn't be done to its fullest in the city.

"Was your courting positive?" asked Ignis finally, mildly curious.

Gladiolus shrugged, "Seemed like it."

"Perhaps the reality is what deterred her decision afterwards."

"What's that mean?"

"She's damaged, as you've observed. But not just in a physical nature, as she was adamant about not involving herself with Crownsguard. Treading lightly is in your best interest if you wish to continue your pursuit."

The Sheild was silent, taking in his words. The voice of reason never failed to sink in where it mattered. The only real mystery was why Ignis cared so much about it. He usually kept himself out of these sorts of situations, Prompto fell in love about six times a day but then, maybe that was the difference. Gladiolus hadn't been involved with someone for quite some time. There were a few one night stands here and there, sure, but nothing serious. Ignis, he knew, had resolved to plunge himself directly into his duty, ignoring any sort of selfish desires that might overtake his mind once in a while. Gladio rationed that his own existence is solely based on the fact that his father had wanted happiness and thus he and his sister were the proof. It was the reason he had no shame in pursuing girls, whether it was just for a good time or something a little more than that. Ignis generally stayed out of his business, hardly taking interest in the flings but Athenacia was far different than the usual women the Shield chose to keep company with. She was older, for one, and had her own career, as well as a fierce independence that was second to none. Perhaps the idea of another intellectual among them was what motivated the man beside him to interfere. Whatever the reason, Gladiolus was thankful for the help of his friend.

As they pulled up to the hospital parking lot, Gladio was actually starting to feel nervous. There was a chance that she wasn't even here and he was getting himself worked up for nothing, but there was no turning back now as they approached the glass sliding doors of the emergency department. The waiting room bore but a few patients in line to be called up next. That was a good sign, they wouldn't be here for most of the night. The Shield kept his gaze on the nurse's station, looking for any sign of Athenacia. Ignis walked by himself up to the triage nurse and was immediately admitted and placed in a room. Gladiolus followed his friend, observing as the pregnant nurse he recognized as one of the resident nurses was taking vitals and noting everything on her tablet. She then had a look at the wound inflicted upon the young Adviser by Gladiolus and marked that down as well. It definitely wasn't pretty and he felt guilty about having done it in the first place.

"Sorry," Gladio grunted once the nurse had left the room, closing the curtain and the glass sliding doors.

"A learning experience," replied Ignis in his usual calm demeanour.

The Shield just nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as they waited. The room was much the same as any of the others he had been to, generic as this was a place for temporary patients. It had been a while since he was actually in a treatment room like this, the last time being for the code grey, standing guard near the quarantined zone almost the entire time. That was a little over a week ago and he hadn't been near here since. Pulling out his phone he looked one last time in vain for a response that he knew he wasn't going to get.

The man's attention was snapped up towards the door as the curtain was pulled back. His face moved into a crooked grin as he spotted her, those hazel eyes looking at the tablet in her hands. Dr. Virum was pushing some buttons, her highlighted blond hair in that usual high ponytail, appearing as it stuck straight out this time, exactly like when he had first seen her. She wore purple scrubs under her billowing lab coat, that bore her name: Athenacia Virum, M.D. Placing her tablet into the pocket of her lab coat and grabbing a set of latex gloves from the holder on the wall, she put them on before looking at them. She blinked in near disbelief as her bloodshot hazel eyes came upon them. Gladio noted that she was back to her regular haggard and overtired appearance that she usually wore when she was working. The sleep deprivation was obvious in her pale complexion, dark circles under her eyes were very visible despite her desperate attempt to hide them with her makeup. Still, inside of that slightly startled hazel gaze upon them he saw the woman he went out with a week ago. He saw the healer that so expertly saved lives on a daily basis, saw a small light in her eyes that he could never look away from. The Shield knew that underneath all of this there was a beautiful soul that he was pulled toward every time he saw her. Perhaps most importantly, in her gaze he could see the relief of his presence though slight as she was on the clock. It made all his earlier thoughts of rejection fade away but only briefly as he couldn't still understand why she had cut him off so suddenly.

"Hey Doc," his usual response burst out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Good evening," she smiled tiredly at the two men. Her gaze drifted towards Ignis, "Mr. Scientia, you are definitely an unexpected guest. Let me have a look at you."

Ignis complied, as she walked toward him. Her hazel eyes scrutinized the gash in front of her, careful not to touch it just yet. Virum grabbed a cotton swab, wetting it a little with anti-bacterial fluid and gently ran it along the length of the injury. The patient didn't move as she worked and she was thankful for that. There were no other major concerns in his chart so she backed off a bit and went to grab her repair kit.

"You boys need more stitching up than old rag dolls," she smiled slightly.

"Lucky for us you're always here," replied Glaiodlus.

"Indeed, fortune was our friend today - in spite of the reason for our arrival," agreed Ignis.

"Flatterers," she said gently, pulling up a stool and sitting in front of her patient.

Dr. Virum re-cleaned the wound since it was deeper than they had anticipated. Still, Ignis remained stationary while she worked. Once she was satisfied, she dabbed his skin gently with the numbing agent, using a few cotton swabs. The cut ran diagonally from his shoulder and down near his elbow. Whether or not he felt the pain she couldn't be sure as he kept that stern look on his face at all times, his green eyes studying, calculating, as they observed his surroundings. When she had thoroughly finished cleaning, she began her methodical stitching routine, running her tools carefully through his skin and pulling the thread along with her small needle. As always, Ignis watched her, seeming to try and learn her technique for himself. Virum supposed with his occupation it would be a good lesson for him, though she wasn't sure she could teach him. As she finished up, she ran another round of the numbing agent and took another curious look at him. She pulled out her tablet, bringing up his chart and frowning slightly in thought. Gladiolus and Ignis looked at her, not really sure why she seemed to hesitate like this.

"Is something wrong?" asked Ignis finally.

Virum looked up at him, "Nothing pressing, I'm just trying to figure out how long you've been sick."

He frowned, confused, "I beg your pardon?"

"Yeah you're flushed, temperature slightly elevated. If it were caused by your work out then you would have been back to normal now. You haven't noticed that you're sick? That seems out of character for you."

"I do not succumb to illness."

She laughed out loud at him, "Ah, that's why you didn't notice."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're on about."

"Its simple really. Doctors, nurses, healers, even nurturers like yourself often think that they can't get sick. But we're all human and susceptible to ailments just like the next guy. You seem fairly early in stages, you can still fight it off before it gets worse with some home remedies if you wish."

Ignis sighed heavily, "Indeed, I'm sure I have something at home that should suffice."

"Perfect. You're all stitched up and ready to go."

"Thank you, Dr. Virum."

"Thanks, Doc," said Gladiolus.

Virum smiled at them both, stepping out of the room. Gladio watched her go, noting the hint of sadness she carried with her last look towards him. Without thinking, he walked out after her, knowing that if he didn't speak up now he would lose the opportunity. However, she shocked him, facing him expectantly once he stepped out of the room. Athenacia held her phone in her hand, closing the gap between them as she walked over to him and then held the device out to him.

"My phone was damaged, had an accident and lost everything on it. Had to get a new one," she explained at his confused look.

A foolish smile grew on his face at her words as he replaced the number that belonged to him in her contact list. Gladio handed her back the phone and she smiled shyly.

"Thought maybe my ego chased you away," he grinned at her.

"Well I would have told you sooner but your ego never showed up."

The Shield ran a hand through his hair almost in a nervous manner. It made her smile grow as she observed him, but their moment was short-lived, as one of the new resident doctors needed her attention. Dr. Virum was gone in an instant while Ignis was standing at the door to his room, ready to leave. Gladiolus took one last look at the doctor before turning to the exit. The two men walked out of the glass sliding doors and out into the night air. The walk to their parking spot seemed to take longer than it seemed but maybe that was because of Ignis's stare upon him. Gladio heard his phone chime and he pulled it out, unlocking his car and getting into the driver seat. He smiled that same foolish smile he often wore when involved with Athenacia.

_Good night, Gladio._

The Shield replaced his phone back in his pocket after saving the new number and started the car.

"Well, it seems all is well with the universe after all," said Ignis.

"Except you catching a cold," Gladiolus smiled at his friend.

Ignis sighed in his annoyed manner, deciding to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for your support!


	11. Not Glowing

Dr. Virum smiled as she watched a mother with her infant daughter leave the hospital after a routine checkup. This was the patient with an enlarged heart, needing a new one in order to survive the life she barely even knew. The transplant for that baby had been a success, however, and she was responding well to treatment meaning her body wasn't rejecting the heart. The mother was so grateful to Dr. Virum that she personally stopped by to thank her every single time she came back for her check-ups. Virum, of course, was beyond happy to have helped out in any way, having a real soft spot for children. At least this time, she was able to save a life and that made up for all the misery she suffered in this job some days.

As the doors closed behind that small and happy family, the doctor pulled out her tablet and looked at what was next on her agenda. The vibrations of her phone in her pocket had her abruptly stop what she was doing and swiftly fish it out of her lab coat pocket. Gin, the pregnant resident nurse saw the reaction and was looking at her friend suspiciously. Dr. Virum smiled in a way she only recently started doing as she stared at her phone - and she rarely had her phone out while she was working. Chewing her lip in thought, that same sort of glow reached her cheeks before replying to a message and putting it back in her pocket. It was then she caught the look of her charge nurse, wondering why on Eos she was being stared at like that.

"What?" she asked.

"Who's that?" asked Gin, nodding her head towards the phone.

"This?" Dr. Virum held up the tablet, "Looks like 45 year-old male presenting with severe abdominal pain likely caused by constipation."

"No I don't mean the patient files, I mean on your phone. Who's making you glow?"

"Glow? What are you talking about?"

"All week you've been glowing at your phone. Who is he?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she scoffed, regretting that she even opened up her mouth.

"Is it that huge Crownsguard you were making kissy faces with last week?"

Virum felt the heat rise to her cheeks, "What? Kissy faces?" she tried to feign disbelief.

"You know, that really big one that kept asking you out. Did you finally say yes?"

"You're crazy lady. Those pregnancy hormones are really messing with you."

"You DID say yes!" Gin confirmed.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," she walked away into the patient room.

"This isn't over, Cia, I want details!"

"Don't hold your breath waiting for something that never happened," she said gently before opening the door and stepping inside.

45 year-old male, severe abdominal pain. Constipated, mediated with stool softener and left for observation. 89 year-old male, broken hip. Administered antibiotics and put on a list for hip replacement. 13 year-old female, severe abdominal pain. Beginning of menstruation. 29 year-old male, severed femur. Mended, given pain medication. 32 year-old male, nausea, dizzy spells, shortness of breath. Common cold, administered antibiotics.

_I know it's hard to hold in your desire to see me._

73 year-old female, shortness of breath. Asthmatic, administered oxygen. 8 year-old male, persistent shortness of breath, sinus infection. Cystic fibrosis, sent to pediatrics for continued treatment. 96 year-old male, cardiac arrest. Time of death, 19:08. 33 year-old female, fainted. Low blood pressure.

_Your ego is the perfect remedy to kill that sort of desire._

24 year-old male, overdose. Resuscitated and put on 72 hour watch. 40 year-old male, sprained ankle. Wrapped up, given pain medication. 55 year-old female, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation. Fungal infection, administered medication.

_That hurt, Doc, I think I might need to come in and get it checked out_

28 year-old female, nausea, dizzy spells, vomiting. Pregnant. 50 year-old female, shortness of breath, loss of movement in entire body. Final stage Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Time of death, 21:54. 33 year-old male, multiple lacerations and contusions, fractured ribs. Fighting, stitched, patched, administered pain medication.

_Maybe it's you who's desperate to see me._

Dr. Virum sat in the lounge, taking a much-needed break. She was also hiding from Gin, knowing the woman was on her way out soon and wasn't interested in being pestered about her personal life. Here in the lounge, everyone left her alone, knowing that she did a lot of work while she was here. Her phone buzzed again and she smiled as she pulled it out, unlocking the screen.

_You got me. When's a good time?_

Virum sighed. Gladiolus and herself had been texting back and forth religiously since she regained his number in her new phone nearly a week ago. The two hadn't seen each other since then, their schedules remaining out of line but he was getting impatient and she could tell by the urgency of his messages, pushing again to see her outside of work. It wasn't that she didn't want to but while he was busy with his day in the morning she was more often than not, sleeping. Well, sleeping as much as she could given her constant inability to sleep a full cycle. Lately, she had been working double shifts, the evening and the night. They were short staffed and she was the only attending in her department to look after the new resident doctors. She wished there were more around but she did her job.

_Wish I could say. I'm on throughout the night._

Small white teeth captured her bottom lip as she sent the message, feeling bad that she had to once again turn him down. It wasn't long ago that she was doing it with ease, now that they were a little more familiar with each other she was having more trouble with it. Things seemed more complicated now and she missed the simplicity of not having any feelings. That doctor liked him, that she couldn't deny. Somehow he had crawled under her skin despite her attempts to keep him at bay. Sneaky. Her phone vibrated in her hands, snapping her out of her thoughts. It wasn't a reply, however, simply an alarm to signal the end of her break.

_Sorry..._

She sent it as an afterthought when he took longer than normal to answer. Her stomach twisted as she was nervous. Heaving a sigh, she kept her hazel orbs on the screen before her, knowing that she would have to get back to work. Just as she was about to put her phone away, it buzzed again.

_I get it. They need the best on site._

Virum smiled at his response, that warm feeling spreading throughout her body at his words. At least he wasn't taking this personally, accepting she mostly put her job before anything else. It was with relief that he knew she wasn't still trying to avoid him.

_But I get to go to sleep tonight. You, however, get to stay up all night at work thinking about me._

The response caused her to laugh out loud at her phone. Again she captured her lip in that nervous manner before typing in her reply.

_Good night, Gladio_

_Night Doc._

A smile still plastered on her face, she put her phone away and was extremely happy that Gin wasn't here to see this. Taking a deep breath, she left the lounge, getting ready to finish the rest of her shift. Hopefully, it would be another quiet night where she could squeeze in some twenty-minute naps here and there.

...

Dr. Virum sighed heavily as she observed herself in the mirror. Her bloodshot hazel eyes made her look like she had been up for days on a bender. Just one more hour and she could leave. The girl was extremely hungry, her stomach in protest at the crap she had been feeding it as of late. After all of this hard work, she knew that the only way to settle herself was to eat a real breakfast, no matter the exhaustion, and then return to her home. Yeah, she was going home this morning, she hadn't been there in a couple of days and she didn't care if she slept in one of her massive garbage or laundry piles, she was sick of hearing beeping and the hum of lights. Rubbing her eyes carefully in an attempt to keep herself awake, she absently wondered why she even bothered with makeup at all. If anything, the constant layer of black only amplified the dark circles that formed under her eyes in contrast with her pale skin. Virum missed when she looked mostly human and not some hollow shell containing her medical brain. Sighing once more, she left, going back to work.

As she approached the nurse's station, Tash was looking at her with an amused smile on her face. What could that be about? The older woman was always very motherly, always thought she was one step ahead. Virum didn't say anything under that steady gaze but pulled out her tablet to look through patient files. She was aware of the older woman's eyes following her everywhere she went. Turning her back, she pulled up the file, trying not to focus on being watched. 23 year-old male minor chest pain. At least this would be simple, men that age didn't have too much wrong with them. Glancing at Tash one more time who was now openly grinning at her. Dr. Virum narrowed her eyes in suspicion before going toward the treatment room. The doctor opened up the glass sliding doors and pulled back the curtain, studying the file before her. Placing her tablet in her lab coat pocket and grabbed a pair of latex gloves, she began to pull them over her hands and then stopped as soon as she looked up. Virum rolled her eyes slightly, letting out a little laugh as she looked at her patient. He was grinning at her as he usually did, his amber eyes mischievous as he observed her. The girl didn't even bother with her gloves, giving him a pointed look and tried to keep the smile off her face as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hey Doc," he greeted casually.

"Gladio, happy to see you utilizing our hospital resources," she replied dryly.

"Nurse said you weren't busy," he shrugged.

"I guess I'm not. What are you doing here?"

"Told you, I had to come get checked out. This mean girl hurt me."

"Awe. She sounds like a real bitch."

"Wouldn't know, only see her at work."

Her smiled turned sad as she shifted her gaze downward, "Sorry."

He shrugged, "You're done soon right?"

She brought her attention back towards him, nodding, "Little less than an hour."

"No chance of skipping out early?"

"Only if the relief doctor comes in early, and he probably won't, he never does."

Gladio nodded at her, his smile never fading from his face. Virum took a quick peek behind her, glaring with a smile at Tash who only looked at the young woman knowingly. Gin had a big mouth. Bringing up her tablet, she noted that there wasn't anyone waiting so she could linger here for a short time. The doctor put her face back in her tablet and discharged Gladiolus, looking pointedly at Tash one more time.

"Well?" he asked her.

She turned back towards him, "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to examine me?" he raised a brow with a wolfish smile.

"Rain check."

"I'll hold you to that."

"I'm sure you will."

The Shield stood from the gurney, walking towards her. Dr. Virum kept a respectable distance, this was a workplace after all. Besides, the curtains behind her were open and she was very aware of the older woman's gaze on her back. The doctor looked up at him as he approached and then watched him walk by her, stepping outside of the room.

"I'll be in the waiting room," he said.

Virum smiled and nodded at him before he turned and grinned at the resident nurse watching from her station. Tash waved politely and then her smile turned back toward the young doctor, her eyes glowing in amusement. Dr. Virum walked back to the nurse's station, tablet in hands and looked at the nurse expectantly, waiting for some sort of explanation as to what that was all about.

"Gin's right, he does make you glow," said Tash, looking back over at the Shield.

"I'm not glowing," Virum insisted, keeping the smile from her face.

"Whatever happened to, 'I don't date Crownsguard' anyway?"

"I..." she sighed, glancing quickly at Gladiolus happy he hadn't noticed her, "I don't even know how this happened. But it did, and I'm not entirely unhappy about it," she finally conceded now that the cat was out of the bag, "I'm not really sure what I think, I've been here more often than not."

"Well, praise the gods, the ice queen has feelings after all."

"Ice queen? Is that seriously what people call me?"

Tash shrugged, "More or less. You're never with anyone and you never go home. And most have heard about where you were before you came here."

She frowned, "You don't believe them... do you?"

"I wasn't sure at first. Now I know."

She smiled relieved, "Thanks."

...

After about 45 minutes into the last hour the relief doctor, Dr. Brette, made his appearance and she was free to go. Virum nearly sprinted toward the locker rooms and punched in the code to her locker, placing her tablet carefully inside and pulled out her toiletries with a fresh change of clothes. The door was slammed closed, hastily grabbing a fresh towel and hitting the showers. The water was scorching as usual, her skin turning red upon contact and with it, relief of the stress she had carried the last sixteen hours. But she didn't linger so long, knowing that Gladiolus was waiting patiently for her.

Athenacia pulled on her clean clothes, dumping her hospital attire in the waste bin to get washed for the next shift. She blow dried her hair quickly in the mirror, letting it flare out at the bottom that only reached halfway down her neck. Jewelry went back in place and another coat of makeup was swiftly applied in a poor attempt to look mostly human. There was no hiding those bloodshot eyes that carried her sleep deprivation wherever she went. The dark circles if anything, looked worse than before on her pale complexion. Sighing, she wondered what anyone could possibly see in her. That ugly scar on her neck was mostly hidden by her thin, long-sleeved black shirt. It wasn't very low but didn't bundle up around her neck, letting her necklace be visible against her skin. Her dark jeans clung to her body but allowed her to move freely and she put her boots on. They were black, with a very noticeable zipper that stopped about mid calf and a very small heel to them. As satisfied as she could be with such short notice, she walked back toward her locker, opening it up again and dumping her things inside before grabbing the last items to leave. She pulled on those telltale fingerless black and grey striped gloves, her purse and then a soft, form-fitting leather jacket.

Checking her phone, a small bout of anxiety swept through her at seeing it was 30 minutes after her shift ended. Half an hour wasn't exactly a terribly long time to take to get ready but she hated when people were waiting for her. Athenacia walked briskly back toward the emergency department, giving a small wave to Tash on her way past the nurse's station. She slowed her pace as she walked into the waiting room, her hazel eyes scanning it quickly. Gladiolus wasn't exactly hard to spot and she found him dozing in a chair off to the side. Athenacia smiled sadly at the scene, feeling guilty about having him wait on her like this, but was overly thrilled that he had gone through the effort to wake up early and invade her work like this.

The girl walked over to him as other staff were beginning their shift change. Her smile grew as she heard a light snore coming from his nose and she tilted her head slightly in thought before reaching her hand out slowly towards his shoulder. Athenacia was about to make contact with him when his hand suddenly jerked and grabbed her wrist. Suppressing a squeal was easy but she couldn't stop her body from jumping in response, taking in a breath of relief while he regarded her with the playful grin he seemed to always wear. The doctor smiled back at him, feeling extremely small as his massive hand seemed to take over most of her forearm. Gladio stood then, keeping their connection as he moved his hand to keep hers occupied within his own. Athenacia wasn't really prepared for that but didn't make any effort to move as she felt heat on her cheeks while being lead out of the emergency department.

"Where to?" he asked as he began walking with her toward his car.

"Breakfast, I'm starving," she emphasized the last word.

"I know just the place," he replied, regretfully letting go of her hand as they approached the vehicle.

Once she had gotten in she leaned her head back on the headrest, the exhaustion setting in upon her. The sun was already up, people along with it waking from their slumber and getting ready for the day. Gladiolus drove and she tried to keep track of where they were going so she had an idea of where she was. They didn't travel for very long, the streets pretty well empty at this hour. The girl was dozing a bit, the harder she tried to keep her eyes open the more asleep she was. But when she felt the car stop she was alert for a brief moment, getting out and closing the door gently before meeting him on the sidewalk.

Athenacia blinked in surprise as he swiftly grabbed her hand again and began to guide her down the street. They weren't walking very fast but they were silent as she was fighting with her stomach to settle down with his proximity. In truth, she wasn't exactly prepared for his boldness and it was throwing her completely off guard but it wasn't unpleasant either so she went with it as they walked. It was only about a block away that he started to lead her toward a diner. The door was being held open already as they approached and he released her hand to allow her to step inside first. A small blush crept to her cheeks when she felt one of his hands graze her back as she took a step up into the door. Athenacia then sidestepped to allow him room to enter as she wasn't even sure where she was going. Gladio grabbed her hand again and led her to the table that was right in the window, the only one that seemed to be free at the moment. It was very busy here, this place being open all hours of the day and night according to the sign. It reminded her of the diner down the street from her house and made her feel mostly at ease. The girl looked over the menu and her mouth began to water. As the waiter approached, Gladiolus ordered quickly and then the attention was on her.

"I want a peameal benedict, three eggs medium, a side of fruit and a peanut butter milkshake," she told him seriously. He wrote it all down faithfully, taking her menu from him.

Gladiolus raised his eyebrows, "You're going to eat all that?"

"And then some, that caramel chocolate pecan cheesecake is next."

He laughed, "I'm impressed."

"I haven't eaten since about two this morning."

"Busy night?"

"Yes and no. There's just so much late night cafeteria food one can take. Tash brings me snacks, but she's not always on night shift."

Gladio grinned at her as they continued to talk about the sudden need of her for double shifts. Athenacia explained that with the war going on they needed more staffing at the other clinics and since she was mostly the one managing the department it usually fell to her to take the extra shits. It was the norm, seeing as all she ever really did with her free time was work anyway. Gladiolus could see the damage that Ignis had spoken of as she talked but their conversation was interrupted by their food being brought to them. The doctor dived in immediately, the pang in her stomach refusing to be quelled until she did. Gladio watched her with amusement in his amber eyes. Athenacia had no shame about eating and given her small stature, he was definitely not expecting it. When she finished the entire thing he had to admit he was a little shocked, she had eaten more than him, and just as she promised, ordered that slice of cheesecake. Her eyes were aglow as it was brought out to her but she savoured this instead of wolfing it down. The Shield could see the bags under her eyes despite the effort she used to hide them.

"Do you ever sleep?" he blurted without thinking.

Athenacia looked at him with the fork in her mouth, her lips covering the bite she was taking. She slid it slowly out, chewing and swallowing with her eyes downcast. The question definitely took her by surprise.

"Here and there. Once in a while, I get lucky to manage to get a few undisturbed hours."

"Your job?"

"No, they usually leave me alone."

"What is it then?" he narrowed his eyes slightly as he studied her.

"It's... Just a bad dream sometimes..." she replied evasively, hoping he wouldn't press the matter.

"Good, you should be suffering after what you did," a voice sounded behind her, delivering the words with pure hatred.

The doctor turned to look at the source, as the man walked up to their table and stood in front of them. He was tall, lanky, with his arms crossed as he glared at her with hard emerald eyes. The stranger donned the uniform of a Glaive, his strawberry blond hair falling down his face, completely untamed as he regarded her. Athenacia matched his stare, Gladiolus noting that her hands tightened into fists. He imagined that she had white knuckles underneath her gloves.

"Athenacia Virum, still walking the streets of Insomnia pretending to care about lives that you destroy," he said in malice.

"You wanna step away now?" warned Gladiolus, his amber eyes hardening at what he was hearing.

"Oh? Got yourself another bodyguard did you?" the man regarded the Shield, and then smirked, "You move quickly. First Cor, then Grun, now it looks like you're after the Prince's own sword Shield. What's next, Virum, the Prince himself? You seem to go younger as you get older."

Gladiolus growled but Athenacia was on her feet before he could react. Despite being shorter than the Glaive, she matched his stare with zero issue, keeping her breath calm and even while the anger bubbled within her. Gladiolus also stood, on guard and waiting for anything to happen. All eyes in the diner were on the three of them and that only fueled her rage more as she fought with herself to contain her anger.

"You need to leave now, Pius," she seethed between gritted teeth, "Or I'll show you first hand exactly what happened that night," and to emphasize her point, she opened her hand, sparking a fireball with the King's magic she could still wield from long ago, "You do remember how adept I am with fire, right?"

Athenacia kept it contained in her hand, ready to strike him if need be. Pius had his face contorted in anger as he looked between her, the fireball, and once at the Shield who held his own death glare. The tension in the room was extremely high with each passing second, the civilians wondering whether or not they would witness a fight, if that fireball was going to make its move. Pius then scoffed at her, turning toward the door.

"You'll get what's coming to you, Virum, don't think you won't," he spat at her before leaving.

Athenacia kept her hateful gaze on the spot he occupied for just a moment before dismissing the flames in her hands. A large, shaking breath left her lips, one she didn't even know she was holding, and she suddenly became very aware of all the eyes that were on her. If it was possible, she became paler as her nerves got the better of her. She bolted out of the diner without a second thought, knowing that she needed to get out of there, leaving Gladiolus in her dust to sit and wonder what had just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support!


	12. Misinformation

Gladiolus raced out of the diner not two seconds after Athenacia had. There was no sign of her on the streets, lost in the crowds no matter which way he craned his neck in pursuit. Frowning, he brought his arms to cross over his chest, still keeping an eye out. How did she do that so quickly? His frown deepened while in thought, walking back to his car. There was a small chance she had walked back there but somehow he doubted it. While he walked he kept his eyes and ears open, not really shocked that she didn't stand out in the slightest outside of the workplace. Once he arrived at his car he wasted no time in getting in, pulling out his phone with the intention to call her but stopped as his amber gaze met him on the black screen. What would he even say? The Shield knew that approaching the subject of her past was suicide, Athenacia very adamant about running away from it. What was she running from? What did that Pius guy even mean? The Glaive was definitely implying she was someone who slept around, after someone named Grun. It didn't fit, Gladiolus saw no signs of promiscuous activity. Hell, he had spent weeks chasing her just to go for a simple beer.

_"Why didn't you just let him die?"_

_"Because I'm not the monster everyone thinks I am!"_

The conversation he had with her in the Citadel a while back, after she had been attacked. Gladio was so hurt by her actions he completely ignored her what she said then. It became clear now that she was referring to something like this, what a Glaive might say about her in public. The Shield stared at his phone, firing off a quick text to Ignis. It was about time he dug into that past she barricaded away from herself if he planned on continuing to pursue her. Starting his car, he decided to head to the Citadel. Athenacia had just finished a sixteen-hour shift, was up all night. It was plenty of time to gather the information before he would stop by the hospital later when she worked and figure this all out then.

...

Gladiolus finished his work out and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a fresh towel. Sitting on the bench, agitation settled in at the silence of the phone he fished out of his bag. The Shield was getting a little impatient waiting around, never doing good with sitting and waiting - he was a man of action. Grunting, he tossed his phone aside before cleaning up his mess. After the events of the morning, Gladio was careful to avoid anyone in order to clear his head. Evening had settled in, the time going about unknown while he impatiently waited for word from either Ignis or Athenacia. His oldest friend was the best to gather information, Gladio wouldn't even know where to start and he was sure his rage would otherwise deter anyone who spoke ill of Athenacia. So, he found someone more objective to figure out what this secrecy was all about, and then he could finally get to the bottom of this in order to proceed properly. He was sure that these were rumours, made up out of cowardice at her person. Whatever it was, he knew that it was the reason she stepped back as a Glaive and submerged herself in her work.

As he left the training room, his phone chimed in his hand. Ignis wanted to meet up with him, having acquired all the information he could it seemed. Gladiolus replied quickly before heading to his car. The Shield wasted no time in taking off, absently aware of his speeding but was a little sick of waiting around. As he pulled up to Ignis's building, mildly surprised that the man was at home, he tapped his foot impatiently while he waited for the elevator to take him to the desired floor. Gladio didn't knock, he walked right in and found Ignis sitting on his couch with a cup of ebony. The Shield nodded at the man, before taking a seat across from him in the chair. They sat in silence, the bespectacled trying to collect his thoughts as Gladio waited impatiently.

"Well?" the Shield asked.

"It's a bit obscured, but the consensus is relatively the same," replied Ignis.

"What's up?"

"Athenacia Virum was the youngest Glaive to ever see battle. She was revered for her excellent and precise combat skills and underwent personal training with the Marshal. That caught the eye of many, they appeared to have a personal relationship. Where she came from no one is quite certain on that. Perhaps the Marshal knows, I dare not question him. She went on to battle and accelerated quickly in the ranks. Eventually, her commanding officer at the time gave her a unit to work with. This is where things grew troublesome. The defence mounted against the Empire was a catastrophe. She was the only one to return alive, though just barely. Cor immediately took action in her favour. She was relieved of duty and granted a position in her current place of work. The Marshal would not speak of the events that took place, nor would she.

"But the rumours took a life of their own. In the end, other Glaives speculated that the only reason she survived is that she's an Imperial spy. Her troupe somehow retained that information and she had them all killed. Given that her origins remain a mystery, it was an easy thing to believe. She's a murderer and a spy," explained Ignis, taking a sip of his ebony as if he were discussing the weather.

"And she's after me now that Cor dismissed her," said Gladiolus dryly.

"That's the news now though, she was relieved of duty at her own insistence. She was positively adamant about never seeing battle again, nor the inside of the Citadel."

"Funny road to go for a spy."

"Precisely."

"And Cor?"

"Absolutely refuses to engage in conversation about those events. In fact, anyone is severely punished for even bringing it up."

"Which means he's protecting her from something."

Ignis nodded, "Whatever happened that night, the truth only lies with Dr. Virum. I suspect she had been silenced both willingly and as a command."

Gladiolus frowned in thought, turning over all of this inside of his head, "What about Grun?"

"He was her commanding officer. The two had a history, though that was shattered after her battle. No one knows the true nature of their relationship, however, he turned against her before he was killed in action."

Gladiolus grunted, "So the thought is, lay low and then get involved with me in order to pick up more secrets for the Empire."

"More or less, after this morning's spectacle."

"I don't buy it," said Gladiolus at once.

"It does raise concerns," agreed Ignis.

"Cor trusts her. He has to have a reason behind it, even if he won't tell anyone."

"The Marshal does exhibit a renown judge of character. Still, I cannot help but wonder why all this secrecy if there is in fact, nothing to hide."

Gladiolus frowned in thought again, Ignis's words striking a nerve within him. If anything, he was more confused now than when he started. He just hoped that his intuition was right this time as it had never really let him down before.

...

Athenacia drunk probably her third beer of the evening, sitting in her living room and having called in sick to work for the first time ever. Gin was overly suspicious but the doctor silenced her simply. She didn't want to talk about this morning, she hated herself for even engaging with that asshole. The fatigue caused her to react, so sick of people looking at her like she was some kind of monster. Sick of their accusatory implications, sick of being judged by the ignorant. So yeah, she was sick, but not in the traditional way. The girl wanted nothing to do with today and was upset that she even let any of this get to her in the first place. The scene would surely have people around town talking. After she had left the diner in a rush, she blended into the masses of civilians on the street and headed toward her home. Athenacia didn't have her car at home and didn't feel like using public transit to get to work in order to get it. Instead, she just came come and collapsed on her bed, catching a couple of hours sleep before her nightmare woke her up as it always did. The doctor didn't even bother to bathe or anything just ordered food and added to her mountains of garbage.

Most of the day was spent stewing in her apartment at her windowsill and looking out over the city, her view of the park perfect. Athenacia checked her phone, not even sure why she looked at the damn thing. She had called in so work wasn't going to need her for anything, she didn't have any friends, so there was no worrying about anyone getting a hold of her. Gladiolus hadn't even messaged her since she ditched him this morning and it stung, but she should have seen this coming. Imperial spy indeed! This was the main reason she stayed away from Crownsguard and anything to do with any of it. If she was being honest with herself, she was sad things had to end this way with him, she had really liked him. A smile finally found her face, thinking about the amount of effort he had put into chasing her around. It made her feel like a normal girl, almost like she could take a step away from the burdens of her past and live a normal life.

But she was wrong.

No matter what she was destined to be alone, because no matter what her past would trail her wherever she went, ruining any sort of relationship she had with anyone. There would never be peace for her, it seemed that no matter how many lives she saved, Eos would always be against her. Not that she threw herself into medicine just for redemption, she truly wanted to help people. It just seemed that there was no end to her suffering no matter how much good she did. The world was cruel and unfair, and she wished that she had the power to cure all suffering but alas, she was just a lowly citizen. Athenacia sighed, finishing her beer and grabbing another before perching herself back into her spot, the sun invisible behind the storm clouds as it began to set. Alone in the dark, lightning illuminating her apartment for mere seconds before thunder followed after it. The doctor absently watched people scurry out of the unforgiving rain, as it pelted down the streets through the magical barrier. Tipping her head back to finish half the bottle, the effects of her consumption wasn't felt at all. Makeup smeared over her face as she rubbed her tired, puffy eyes, her appearance far from her mind while she moped. It wasn't like she was going out today anyway. Why did the world suck so bad?

Athenacia was brought out of her thoughts by her phone buzzing. Groaning, she finished her beer and tossing it in one of her garbage piles before picking up the device, almost dropping it in the process. The brightness of the screen caused her eyes to squint, trying to make out the text before her. Thunder roared outside, while she was able to read that she had a message. It was from Gladiolus. Her heart started to thump in her chest, nausea settling in while her body bubbled with anxiety. Athenacia put her phone down, holding her head in her hands. After sulking about not hearing from him all day, now she had her chance and her mind was totally blank. What would she even say to him? Taking a deep breath, she picked up her phone again, feeling tears well up in her eyes as she opened the message.

_We need to talk._

Another wave of anxiety flowed through her.

_Can't, I'm at work._

The doctor sent back her immediate response, not liking the idea of talking about anything. Athenacia knew that he would respect her work time, wanting to avoid any of this conflict. Her phone buzzed again and she picked it up instantly.

_No you're not._

Shit, he had already gone there. Panic flooded through her, the idea of having this conversation right now threatening to make her vomit. She just couldn't... Her phone buzzed again and she looked at it, wiping her tears and sniffling.

_You owe me an explanation._

Damn. Those were the only words the could force her to meet with him. Athenacia sighed. Gladio was completely right, she did owe him after what happened this morning. Running a hand through her hair, a heavy, quivering sigh escaped her with a fresh stream of tears, trying to compose herself.

_Okay._

What else was there really to say? The phone fell from her hands, replaced with her head while she shook in her sobs. Her stomach flipped as her phone buzzed again. She picked it up, sniffling again.

_Pond in the park near your place. Half hour. Don't be late._

Vision blurred with tears as the device once again fell from her hands. The storm that was raging over the city was starting to let up, thankfully. Rubbing away her tears and sniffling one last time, she got up and walked toward her bathroom. Once she turned on the light she was able to see the true mess she was. Her hair wasn't terrible, but her face was a wreck. She did not wear crying well, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. The sleep deprivation was a norm for her, probably attributing to her poor appearance. Leaning over the counter, the weight of everything she was about to do settled in and left her light-headed.

Athenacia took in another deep breath, forcing herself to look back into her mirror. She was a soldier, a Glaive, assistant manager of the emergency department. She wasn't a coward, that's why she had threatened Pius, she was a warrior and she wouldn't let this get the better of her. Wiping her eyes for the last time, she began to fix herself up. There was less than half an hour to make herself presentable. Luckily, she only really had to fix her face, washing off the old smeared makeup from this morning and reapplied it, noting that it didn't really do much to hide her pale complexion. The messy hair had a brush run through it and then placed into a low ponytail. It wasn't her best work, but she didn't really care. Gladiolus would just have to deal with since he was probably going to break it off with her anyway. Athenacia was going out with her head held high, her past be damned!

When she was as satisfied as she could be, she put on her purse, boots and her trademark black and grey striped fingerless gloves. Pulling on a black jacket with a grey hood, closed the door behind her and raced to the elevator. As she stepped out the front entrance, she was happy that all the rain had stopped, leaving a fresh scent in the air though she could still hear rumblings of thunder and the sky still flashing with lightning. Athenacia began her trek, walking faster than she needed to. She just wanted to get this over with so she could go back to stewing in her apartment alone and try to move on with her life. Sighing, she stopped on the cement path and pulled out her phone, noting she was about five minutes early. No one was here, she was the only one. Taking a quick look around told her that no one was really there anyway.

Gladiolus could have just as easily stood her up. And why not? After the way she reacted this morning, she was surprised he even wanted to go this far. What did he even want from her anyway? He was a Crownsguard, the Shield to Prince Noctis, it wasn't like he couldn't figure out what happened in her past. Athenacia doubted she'd be able to tell him much, she was sworn to secrecy by the King himself. None of it was common knowledge, all her and Cor ever said was no comment. The Marshal was adamant about keeping to themselves and she welcomed that, only wanting to focus on the future ahead instead of living in her past. Not that she ever had the chance to move on but she could at least work and try to forget.

The doctor was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps. Another wave of panic surged through her, the wind rustling the leaves and bringing the promise of another storm. A large shadow was spotted approaching and after the last time she was walking around at night, she immediately tensed up. Once it drew closer, she recognized the silhouette as Gladiolus and relaxed a little. Externally anyway, internally all the resolve she had gained in her apartment had vanished upon seeing him. The hard look on his face made her breath catch in her throat, her heart beginning to race the closer he was and their eyes met.

"Gladio... I-mm-"

Athenacia was cut off from anything she was about to stammer out of her mouth. In a few short strides Gladiolus had closed the gap between them, but he didn't stop there, swiftly reaching for the back of her head and pulling her toward him. His lips crashed upon hers, his other arm wrapping around her back and closing the gap between their bodies. Her hands were on his chest, eyes wide in shock at what was happening. He threw her completely off guard and she wasn't sure how to respond. A tear fell down her face as her eyes closed and she gave into him, losing herself completely in their first kiss. Pulling back only a small distance, his amber gaze was upon her the entire time. The hand behind her head was placed it on her cheek, gently wiping her tear with his thumb while she searched him for answers to his behaviour. Her face was so small it could fit entirely in it and she let out a breath, sniffling again. The doctor didn't even know what to say to him anymore, his entire demeanour throwing her off. Raindrops slowly fell sporadically on their heads, going unnoticed by the confused girl in the large man's arms.

"I don't care," he said finally, "Whatever you did, have done, I don't care. I know what I see, and it's not what's been said."

"You don't think I'm a murderous spy?" another tear rolled down her cheek and he was quick to wipe it away.

"No. I chased you down and if that was really part of your plan then so be it," he said, holding her gaze.

The girl almost laughed as more tears streamed down her cheeks. The rain grew heavier, beginning to thoroughly soak them to the bone. They didn't care and he pulled her in for another kiss. This time she welcomed it, feeling relief sweep through her knowing that he was here for her. Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him closer as she was standing on her tip toes just to reach him. Gladio still had to bend down but he didn't mind in the slightest. They separated, tears still falling down her face though hard to notice while the rain pelted her pale skin. Athenacia was still shy, trying to push past her utter shock of his reaction toward her. His own face wore a loving smile as he looked down at her and then a loud crash of thunder snapped their attention.

It became very evident that they were standing in the middle of a thunderstorm. Athenacia let out a shiver, breaking their embrace. Gladiolus grabbed her hand gently and led her back toward her building. The wind began to rage again as lightning shone in the sky, a large crack of thunder following. It didn't take long to get back there, she was practically running just to keep up with him. When they were safe inside the lobby she was out of breath, trying to keep herself composed as they watched the storm outside, soaked to the bone. Her hand was still in his own and she wasn't really sure where to go from here but as the cold settled in, it caused her to shiver. Almost like a reflex, he brought her back into his arms to try and warm her up. His proximity had her warm alright, just not in the way he was aiming for. Biting her lip nervously, she walked toward the elevator and called one to her. Gladio watched as she pushed the seventh floor and waited patiently for the door to close. The ride up didn't take long and he walked with her down the corridor, stopping in front of her door, 708. It was at the end of the hall, a corner unit. The door wasn't locked, opening with no issues before she turned on the light and instantly regretted it. Shit.

Gladiolus was a bit shocked as he walked into her home, closing the door behind him. The foyer was mostly clean, there wasn't much there aside from a mountain of shoes, and he politely added his own to the pile. When he walked down the hallway he stopped in his tracks, brows raised in shock at what laid before him. There were laundry piles and garbage all over the place, take-out food containers and beer bottles littered along the kitchen. A thick layer of dust blanketed everything, only a small pathway from the foyer to the bedroom was visible. The Shield looked down at her expectantly and she was at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry I..." she was thoroughly shamed, "I'm never here and when I am it's just to change and then head out..." she explained, her face turning bright red at her own embarrassment.

The longer he stared at her the more flustered she became, causing him to grin. Finally, he roared with laughter at her.

"You're a slob," he said lightly.

"I-I, I'm just busy!" she sputtered as he continued to chuckle at her.

"Sure, Doc," he grinned.

Athenacia sighed, smiling at him again before laughing at herself. Leaving him standing there, she quickly scurried down the hall to her bathroom, closing the door behind her and grabbing towels out of her closet. From there, she went through the second doorway into her bedroom and closed that one as well, rummaging in her closet for a change of clothes. Swiftly pulling on grey sweatpants and a black tank top she put all of her soaking clothes in a pile before gathering them up. On the way out of the room, Athenacia caught sight of her herself in the stand-up mirror, noting her makeup was running again. Sighing, she pulled the tie out of her hair and grabbed an extra towel to clean up her face and then dry her hair off a little. Keeping the towel around her neck, she grabbed the spare, put her phone in her pocket and left the room, coming back to Gladiolus and handing him the towel before continuing to her laundry room. Once there the dryer was open and she tossed her clothes inside with a load that was left over from who knew when.

"These to," she heard Gladio behind her.

The doctor grabbed the ball of clothes he handed her, throwing them in and slamming the door shut before starting a fresh cycle. Satisfied, she turned to leave but stopped dead in her tracks once she caught sight of the Shield standing in her doorway. Athenacia swallowed, her heart beginning to hammer in her chest to the point she was sure she was on the brink of cardiac arrest. Hazel eyes rolled over a glistening chest, perfectly defined and chiselled chest. Further down, he was only wearing her towel dangerously low around his waist and she could see the definition of all his muscles, crafted by all of his training. The breath she didn't know was holding escaped her, mouth going dry. A burning desire filled her, something he must have felt too.

Gladiolus captured her lips, hungry this time. Athenacia allowed him to lift her effortlessly off the ground and sit on top of her dryer so that she was closer to eye level with him. A hand ran up her back underneath her shirt, pulling her closer to him. The towel was tossed aside, replaced by his large hand that deepened the kiss. A sigh left her, tiny arms holding on for dear life. Gladio felt something vibrate against his left hip where the inside of her thigh was touching him. It was ignored, Athenacia breaking her connection with him for a mere moment while her shirt was hastily thrown away. As soon as her skin touched his she felt aflame trying to ignore yet another vibration from her pocket. It was to no avail, the buzzing in her pocket continuing relentlessly and she pulled away from him in order to check her phone. Gladio kept his hands on her hips, holding her in place with his lips ghosted along her cheek, hot breath making it hard for her to focus.

"They want me at work," she said sadly.

"Didn't you call in?" he asked.

"Yeah, but this is the night shift now. There was no replacement for me tonight and they want to know if I'm good enough to go in."

The Shield sighed, leaning back a few inches but moving no further as he kept his gaze on her.

"You should probably go," he conceded, his voice heavy.

"Yeah..." she smiled sadly. And then it hit her, "I don't have my car, it's still parked in the staff lot."

"What's it doing there?" he asked.

"You picked me up..." she looked up at him nervously.

"Right. You walked home?"

"I needed to clear my head."

He nodded, "You can take my car."

"What? But-"

"Clothes aren't dry. You'll be back in the morning right?"

"Well, yeah but-"

"So take my car."

Athenacia hesitated, "O-okay."

Gladiolus nodded at her, stepping away and letting her down. Shaking out of her shock, she grabbed her shirt, putting it back on and leaving the room with him behind her every step. The doctor quickly grabbed her things, her purse and a pair of socks before slipping on shoes and then putting on a dry jacket. When she was done, she turned to face Gladiolus who was just watching her the entire time, something that she was completely aware of.

"My bed is untarnished by my mess, you can sleep there," she said.

Gladio nodded, handed her his keys and using that opportunity to pull her in for another kiss. At this point, she was considering telling her work to fuck off but she knew that she couldn't now. He was smiling at her as they broke apart.

"Go save some lives."

Athenacia returned his smile, nodding at him before turning to leave. Gladiolus took a look around him, wondering if Ignis was upstairs or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, the kudos and your comments, you guys are awesome!


	13. Time Clash

Athenacia walked into the locker room with relief, eyes were burning and the entire shift keeping her busy. Leaning her head against the locker, the exhaustion of her shift settled into her bones. There was no time to sit even once, a sigh of relief escaping her. Punching in the combination of her locker, she opened it up and stared at it for a moment, trying to remember what exactly she was doing her for a moment. Rubbing her eyes, she grabbed her bag of clothes and her purse, not even bothering to change out of her scrubs. Ordinarily, she would shower but she just wanted to go home. Removing her lab coat, she slammed the locker closed and shoved her hands in her pockets as she walked out. A lazy wave was given to Tash who had just come in to start her shift. The woman looked like she wanted to talk, but thought the better of it after seeing the doctor's face. Athenacia began to walk to the staff lot, finding her car and pushing the button to open it but the car remained locked. Frowning, she pushed the button again, not seeing her blinkers go off to unlock it. Groaning, she pulled out her keys and then shook her head, almost laughing at her own mistake. These weren't her keys because she hadn't taken her car to work last night. Right. It was evident she was far too sleep deprived to even drive, however, there didn't seem to be another option. Athenacia pushed the panic button for Gladiolus's car, not knowing where she parked it. Luckily it was close enough that she could follow the sound.

Once she got in she started the engine, pulling out her phone to check on it. There were no messages which meant Gladiolus must have been sleeping. What was she thinking leaving him there in her messy apartment to sleep in her bed? Clearly she wasn't, the night before completely throwing her for a loop. After drinking most of the day she was mostly dishevelled. In truth, she really shouldn't even have come into work at all last night but they had no one else to cover her. Leaning her head back on the headrest, she tried to summon up enough energy to get home. When she was ready she took a deep breath, finally focused and shifting the car into gear before driving off. Athenacia got off the elevator on her floor and practically dragged herself to her own door. Her forehead smacked against the hardwood as she fumbled with her keys to open it. Once she stepped inside, she was instantly on high alert.

There was a smell in her apartment. Actually, there were several smells but only one that stuck out. Kicking off her shoes, a brow was raised when there was only that particular pair on the ground. None of her other shoes were there. Strange. Athenacia opened the closet door and saw that all of them were organized on a shelf she didn't remember having. The air smelled like a combination of cleaning products and breakfast, and it woke her up out of her reverie. The sunlight beaming in through the many windows that she noted were extremely clean, looking around confused once she stepped out of the hallway. There were no mountains of garbage, no piles of laundry, no beer bottles occupying every inch of space off of the floor. It was spotless, not a spec of dust anywhere to be seen. Her mouth hung agape as she looked around in disbelief. And as her eyes continued to roam around the room she landed upon Ignis, who only smiled at her as he was busy in her kitchen. He was the source of the bacon smell that took over the entire air. Athenacia blinked a couple of times, her mouth still hanging open as she tried to process what was going on.

"Good morning," he greeted pleasantly. She continued to stare at him, a frown on her face, "Is there something wrong?"

"Uh, well..." she frowned, "I must be absolutely exhausted and walked into the wrong house."

"What makes you so certain?"

"Well. When I left last night I left from home and all my stuff was where I left it. Now, I don't see anything where I left it and on top of that, you're not the person I left here last night either. So I'm a little confused, is this some sort of parlour trick you two do?"

His smile grew, "I assure you, this is no trick."

"Right. That's why my home is clean and you're not Gladio."

"Gladio asked for my assistance. Upon arrival, I could understand the need. I daresay even the Prince hasn't accumulated a mess of that capacity."

"The Prince doesn't work as much as I do."

"Fair point."

Ignis turned back to her stove briefly. Athenacia took another look around, placing Gladiolus's keys on the breakfast nook. The other man placed a plate full of breakfast right beside them, her hazel eyes looking at it almost in shock. It was a peameal benedict, with potatoes cut up and spiced off to the side. A small bowl of fruit soon accompanied it, and then a napkin with a fork and knife. Her gaze went back to him questioningly and he simply put his hand out in offering to the stool that was waiting for her. The doctor slowly walked toward the seat, hesitantly sitting on it while suspiciously picking up the fork. Once she took the first bite her eyes widened, looking up to see his smug smile before turning back to her stove.

"Where did you get this?" she asked between bites.

"I made it," he answered simply, turning back to her.

"You made this?"

"Indeed."

"Here?"

"Yes."

"In that kitchen?"

"Indeed."

Athenacia shook her head, "You're telling me that my kitchen can do this?" she gestured to her plate.

"Certainly, with a bit of patience. Though I'm afraid the taste is exclusive to my own hand."

"Now you're just being full of yourself," she scoffed at him. Ignis returned a small smile before preparing a plate of his own, "Thanks, you really didn't have to do any of this."

"It was my pleasure."

"Where is Gladio anyway?"

"He said he would be dozing. It took us a considerable amount of time to empty the garbage. The laundry, well..."

"You did my laundry?" her voice rose an octave, her eyes widening.

"You've more clothes than space in your home," he replied, raising a brow, "I was having difficulties finding places for them. You're fortunate to have such a spacious closet."

Athenacia stared at him in disbelief, feeling embarrassed at some of the clothes she had lying around - particularly her underwear, something she shopped extensively for and wore for no one. Ignis simply smiled at her, returning to his own plate of food. The doctor closed her mouth, choosing not to say anything on the matter and kept eating until her plate was clean. Then she started on the fruit, all the while remaining silent while they ate. It was mortifying to know a man she hardly knew that handled her underwear, not exactly an everyday situation. Once she had finished he was quick to grab the dirty dishes and began washing them. Athenacia was about to protest but his back was to her in seconds and she slumped her shoulders in defeat. The fatigue from the busy night settled in once more and she rose from her seat to go lie down on her couch. Instantly she noted that it was vacuumed and quickly cleaned from any of her abuse of it, a fresh aroma easing her body with a nearly inaudible sigh. The Prince would have to be careful letting Ignis out, or she was just going to have to steal him away. Smiling slightly she didn't even notice when she had fallen asleep.

Gladiolus woke up to the sunshine in his eyes, exhaling deeply and rubbing them before throwing off the blankets and putting his pants back on. Throwing his shirt over his shoulder, he walked out of Athenacia's room and into the kitchen area where he could smell Ignis working his magic. There was a plate waiting there for him and he could see Athenacia sleeping on the couch, mouth slightly agape resting peacefully. Her jacket was still on, wearing light purple scrubs with her hair done up in that high ponytail. One hand was under her cheek, the other arm fell over the couch. The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile while he watched her before going to his breakfast. Ignis was cleaning up the last of the dishes before turning to face him.

"Did she like it?" Gladiolus spoke softly, so as not to wake her.

"I certainly hope so," replied Ignis, his voice also quiet.

"You couldn't tell?"

"She was suffering from shock and sleep deprivation though I'm sure she appreciates our efforts."

Gladiolus nodded, turning to glance at her again briefly, "They work her too hard if that's the way she lives."

"I suspect her work hours are more of a personal preference. Doubtful she spends much time in her home. That could change as your relationship grows."

Gladiolus didn't respond to that, not really giving much thought to the future. It would be difficult, for her knowing what people are already saying about her. Best to just take things a day at a time, and let her go at her own pace. As he finished his food, Ignis was quick to remove the plate and clean it up quickly, wiping down the counters and the nook of any crumbs. He didn't let any of it fall to the clean tiles, not wanting to start the trend of messy behaviour again.

The Shield rose from his seat, walking over to the couch. One of his hands moved a strand of hair from her face before he bent down, carefully lifting her up, not wanting to wake her. Athenacia nuzzled into his chest and it made him smile as he walked towards her bedroom, Ignis glancing at them briefly before returning to his own devices. Gladiolus entered the bedroom, walking towards the bed and placing her gently in the middle of the queen. The doctor rolled away from him, stirring a moment before settling back into a peaceful sleep. Gingerly he removed her jacket and socks before pulling the covers up to her chin. Keeping the smile on his face, the large man kissed her temple before going to pull down all the blinds in her windows, making the room dark. With one last look in her direction, he left the room, meeting Ignis at the beginning of the hallway to the foyer. He caught his keys that Ignis tossed towards him, putting on his shirt and shoes swiftly. Once they were outside the door they wordlessly parted ways, Gladio pulling out his phone to leave a message for Athenacia.

...

Dr. Virum walked to the nurse's station, tablet in hand with a frown on her face. She had just returned from the locker room, grabbing a fresh change of clothes before getting ready for the massive amount of injured Glaives coming her way. There was a huge loss on the wall and a full retreat was ordered. That never happened and it made her slightly anxious as to what was going on, however, there was no time to muse on it, they were going to almost be code grey with all the bodies coming in. Almost, but not quite. They had all the resources they needed so hopefully there wouldn't be a multitude of bodies here.

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out quickly, taking a look. Biting her lip, a smile tugged at her lips from Gladiolus's message, replying and placing her phone back in her pocket. Three weeks since she fell asleep on her couch and woke up in her bed, and she couldn't stop smiling if she tried. They messaged each other as often as possible and managed to meet up at least twice a week despite her busy schedule. Athenacia loved being around him, how he made her feel. Even when they were in public and she could feel accusatory stares upon her from people who knew who she was he calmed that tension, distracting her from it all. Once he had tried to get her to go up to the Prince's apartment with him but she blatantly refused. The doctor told him that it was lucky that no one knew she lived in the same building as him, she didn't want to be seen going in there with everything that had been said about her. Gladio didn't press the matter and she was extremely happy about that. As much as she did enjoy the company of Prince Noctis, she avoided him like the plague. With this revelation of the Imperial spy dating his own bodyguard, she couldn't be seen anywhere near him or her life wouldn't be peaceful at all. Noctis did message her though, telling her that he understood her position.

Prompto, however, was a different matter entirely. Once it was common knowledge not only among Gladiolus's friends, but even Tash and Gin that he had spent a night at her house, the comments were never ending. All three of them didn't seem to care at all that she wasn't even there when he had slept over. Athenacia understood that Prompto went completely out of his way to get a rise out of Gladiolus, not caring in the slightest that he was half the size of just one of the Shield's arms. It made her laugh at his antics - which would cause her to get chided for encouraging him. Tash and Gin knew it made her uncomfortable to talk about having actual feelings and a life outside of the hospital so they were relentless in their own bother of her. Whenever Gladiolus would show up to surprise her or even just to take her out for a meal, they always gave him a smile that made him ask what was up with them.

All in all, she was happy with her relationship. Athenacia was almost sleeping better, almost. Though the two hadn't gotten very far physically - she worked a lot of nights - they did connect in different ways that soothed her tired soul. No one knew that they had spent a couple of nights tangled up in each other in her bed, somewhat clothed. No one would let them live that one down. It wasn't that she didn't want to sleep with him - it was actually hard to even resist it - but one was always sleeping while the other was awake. The timing just clashed but she was happy she had never been jerked out of her nightmares while he was with her, not wanting to explain why that was happening.

Dr. Virum pulled herself out of her thoughts as the critical Glaives were being rushed in through the ambulance doors. Immediately she went to work, following the medics as they rushed a patient to a trauma room. He was lucky to make it this far but she had her doubts that he would survive the night. The patient was losing far too much blood and they couldn't transfuse it fast enough but she treated him and then moved onto the next patient. Virum was able to get this one stable and up to the operation room for some fixing. That was the first wave of them, the critical patients were treated and sent off to wherever they needed to be. Some didn't make it, some bled all over her, some would make a full recovery. What happened out there? Why was there this much damage done to them? Images of a red sky, of red glowing eyes came to her but she shrugged them off as she kept up her work. Once the last of the critical patients had swept through she heaved a sigh of relief, going to change out of her dirty scrubs and put on some fresh ones, dark red. Virum kept her tablet in hands as things were calming down around the nurse's station even. Now they just had to thin out the waiting room.

The doctor looked at her tablet, going into the treatment room. There were three Glaives in there, only one of them on the gurney. That made sense since his leg seemed to be broken. The male standing to one side had brown hair on the top of his head, with shaved sides and blue eyes, that regarded her in a friendly manner, his arms crossed as well as a smile despite his damaged uniform. The other Glaive, a female, also smiled at her with brown hair and brown eyes, definitely a little bumped and bruised from their fight. The patient on the gurney was a heavyset man, also with brown hair and eyes. Despite his leg being broken he wasn't in too much pain, must have been the medication.

"Nyx Ulric," Virum said surprised as she looked up from her tablet.

"Hey," he greeted.

"What are we, chopped liver?" asked the man on the gurney, smiling at her.

"Libertus, that'd be quite a big liver," she teased him, "Crowe you're an angel. I don't know how you haven't killed them yet."

Crowe laughed, "Lot's of willpower. Good to see you're still here."

"Where else would I be?" she held up her arms. Virum put her tablet in her lab coat pocket, grabbing a set of latex gloves and pulling them over her hands, "You guys have seen better days," she said, walking over to Libertus. His vitals on his digital print were normal but she wanted a better look at that leg, "The x-ray says your femur is severed. What happened?"

"He had a building fall on him and got caught with his leg," explained Nyx.

"Our hero saved him," said Crowe dryly.

"Crazy son of a bitch," said Libertus.

"Don't celebrate too quick, who knows where they're sticking me after this," said Nyx, crossing his arms.

"We're going to have to mend the bone and get a cast on you," said Dr. Virum.

"Whatever you gotta do, Doc."

"Weird calling you Doctor," said Nyx.

"Only because we're the real heroes," she winked at him.

They laughed as she left the room for a moment. Virum returned quickly with her tools for an orthopedic cast, sitting on her stool with the tray of supplies right beside her. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip in thought, a nurse walking in shortly and holding down on Libertus's thigh. Dr. Virum told him to hold still and had Nyx and Crowe hold his other leg. Taking a deep breath, she set the bone with his cry of pain until it snapped back into place. He did well, only jerking his upper body. The doctor then began to fit his leg into the plaster of the cast, having it wrap around his foot and ankle as well so that only his toes were sticking out. Once she had it sealed, the nurse walked out and Dr. Virum began to wrap the cotton bandage around it - carefully as she did not like making mistakes. When she was finished she smiled at him and then stood, turning to Nyx. The hero wasn't in too bad shape but she had him remove his shirt so that she could clean up his wounds. Virum was focused as she worked, the four of them catching up on the time they had been apart. And it was quite a long time but it seemed that they wouldn't be going back out for a while, not after what happened. Virum stitched up what needed to be sewn on Nyx, cleaning up his wounds and logging all of them in her tablet on his patient file.

"What about you, Cia?" asked Libertus.

"Oh not much, just working as usual. Had a code grey a while back that was fun," she answered as she worked.

"Word is, you got yourself a man," Nyx teased her.

"Oh, you mean the walls are down?" Libertus laughed at her.

"Not just any man either, the Prince's own sworn Shield," Crowe smiled.

"Just part of my master plan to bring you all down," replied Dr. Virum dryly.

That caused them to laugh.

"Seriously, how did that even happen?" asked Nyx.

"Honestly, I don't even know. I was treating him and then he wouldn't leave me alone."

"How romantic," said Crowe mockingly.

"Little Cia, growing up," said Libertus, laughing at her.

Rolling her eyes, Virum then moved onto Crowe, a smile on her face. The young woman was a little less injured than the other two, only a few contusions and lacerations but nothing that needed her undivided attention. She must have had a better seat at the party.

"So what happened anyway?" asked Dr. Virum as she was cleaning up Crowe's arm.

"The Niffs, they got us," said Libertus in disgust.

"They came at us with their full force, and we were winning. At least... we thought we were," said Crowe sadly.

"They got daemons, Cia," said Nyx, "Nearly wiped us all out. And then they retreated."

"Retreated?" she asked, looking over at him confused.

"Yeah. Busted us all up and then high tailed it outta there," said Libertus.

"But you said-"

"They had us. But they just up and left after, like they were testing out their daemon," said Crowe.

"At least you're all okay... for the most part."

"It's a good thing you're here now," said Nyx, his eyes distant.

The three of them were in thought about the current situation they had just lived through. Dr. Virum frowned, not liking the feeling she was getting from them. The devastation caused was obviously something they had never seen before. The doctor pushed away from the images of her own nightmare that wanted to surface. Once she was done treating them she removed her gloves and routinely sanitized her hands before updated everything on her tablet, looking at them with a heavy heart.

"It was awful, Cia," said Crowe gravely.

"It just.. came out of nowhere, the dreadnaughts releasing it right in the middle of the fight," explained Libertus.

"It was bigger than anything I've ever seen. Not even our magic could stop it. Had big giant red glowing eyes-"

"And tentacles?" Dr. Virum interrupted, her eyes distant as she regarded Crowe.

"Yeah, and-"

"It was purple, with huge teeth and tentacles. Big glowing red eyes..." she said, the images coming to her mind from her recurring nightmare.

"Yeah that's exactly it," said Nyx, "How did you know?"

Dr. Virum kept her breath calm as a wave of anxiety swept through her body. She was staring into Crowe's freshly bandaged arm, her mouth going dry at the images that came to her head. Her nightmare, the very reason she got no sleep most of the time. Gleaming red eyes tearing a path of destruction with it as it came upon her. Her skin was burning as it descended to where she stood and then an azure glow obscured her view of it.

"Cia?" Nyx put a hand on her shoulder, startling her and gaining her attention.

"Yeah... Yeah sorry, just... long day," she offered a weak smile to him.

He shared a look with Crowe before turning back to her, "Have you seen that daemon before?"

"No, I... The other patients were talking about it."

The Glaives looked a little dubious but they didn't say anything more. Dr. Virum pulled out her tablet and started to look through the patient files, pulled herself out of her negative thoughts, There was too much work to do to and she was falling behind now, unable to shake this feeling in the pit of her stomach, desperate to calm themselves down as she stood there. She smiled at them slightly.

"You're all ready to go. I've gotta get back, there's quite a few of you that still need my attention," said Dr. Virum.

"Thanks, Cia," said Crowe.

"We'll be in town here a while. Come out with us one these nights," said Nyx.

"It's been a while," added Libertus.

"You can even bring your date," Crowe winked at her.

She let out a small laugh, "The charge nurse will get you my number. I'll see you guys around."

Virum exited the room, but instead of going toward her next patient she sprinted to the bathroom. As soon as she had the door closed and locked she dropped to her knees and vomited into the toilet bowl. A tear fell from her eyes as she retched, only bringing up stomach acid. It burned up her throat, the taste absolutely terrible but she wasn't finished. Another round came up and she was finding it harder to breathe. Her heart hammered in her chest and she felt light-headed as she pulled away from the toilet. Willing herself to take in a deep breath wasn't doing much to calm down her panic attack.

Athenacia grabbed a cup and filled it with water, trying desperately to wash the taste of acid out of her mouth. The girl gulped back the water in a desperate need to quelch the burning in her throat. Her heart rate was starting to regulate, her hot flash disappearing and her head returning to normal. When she finished the water she was still sitting on the bathroom floor. Trembling hands pulled out her phone, looking at it and trying to distract herself. In the end, she had messaged Cor, knowing that she would need to see him in order to figure out exactly what had happened out there in the battlefield.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much!


	14. 32 Hours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your comments, kudos positive and for reading! Special thanks to jaciopara for my amazing art, I really appreciate it! You guys are so awesome!

"Need help in here!"

Dr. Virum shouted as she lowered the headrest of the gurney. Her patient was a pregnant woman, only twenty weeks left of her term. 30 year-old female, shortness of breath, swollen feet, fainting and dizzy spells, low heart rate. The fetus was doing fine but they had to fix mom first. Labs showed an infection, but their medication was limited with the allergic reactions. So they were monitoring her in order to keep her alive and find something that would work, however, they weren't having much success and the patient was crashing. Two nurses ran into the room, one beginning CPR while Virum instructed the other to push a very low dose of epinephrine.

"Get the crash cart," she instructed.

The nurse not resuscitating went to grab the cart, turning it on and handing Dr. Virum the paddles. Placing jelly upon them, she gave crisp orders and the prepared herself.

"Clear!"

The other nurse held her hands up. Dr. Virum placed one paddle on the patient's chest and the other off to the side closer to the abdomen. The patient jerked with the jolt and the nurse quickly checked for a pulse, all eyes on the monitors.

"Normal sinus rhythm," reported the nurse.

Virum nodded, placing the paddles back and pulling out her tablet. Examining the fetus quickly, she found that there was no cause for concern just yet and updated everything on the digital print, ordering more medication. One of the nurses nodded at her, leaving the room to carry out her instructions while the other one went back to the nurse's station. The doctor observed her patient again, sighing sadly. It wasn't looking good and she didn't want this child to grow up without a mother. There was nothing that could be done now, leaving the room and walking to the nurse's station with her tablet in hand. Scrolling through the pending patient files, she noted it was getting fairly busy in here again. Her hazel eyes darted to the clock, happy that she was almost done her shift. Currently, she was hour 32 and there were only two more hours left. Her eyes were burning at having been asked to stay an extra shift and then resume her regular schedule but at least she had the night off after this. With the Glaives in town, she was hoping for more medics to assist her, however, that wasn't the case. Most of them had healed in the last week since that attack, the strange one with the tentacled daemon.

In desperation, Dr. Virum had contacted Cor, wanting to talk to him about what happened out there, however, the Marshal was extremely busy, something she should have known with everything going on as of late. Just figured when she actually wanted to talk to him he was unavailable. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't get the images out of her head and it was starting to intrude upon her life. Her sleeping patterns were much worse than before, something others hadn't failed to notice. Athenacia had bailed on Gladiolus at least twice and she knew that was sending warning signs to him. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him, she just didn't want him to ask about what was bothering her. She didn't want to have to lie to him because there was no way she could talk about it. Not yet anyway...

The doctor continued on her job, treating patients. 78 year-old male, respiratory arrest, monitored on oxygen. 41 year-old male, cirrhosis of the liver, put on a transplant list. 25 year-old male, severed ulna, set and placed in a cast. 2 year-old female, flu symptoms, antibiotics. 36 year-old female, smoke inhalation and third-degree burns, oxygen and antibiotic cream.

Virum sighed as she walked out of the burn victims room and to the nurse's station. It was with relief that she pulled out her tablet, noting that her shift was over. Dr. Brette was here to take over finally. Offering him a tired smile, she went back to her tablet, pulling up the patient file on the pregnant mother and informed him of what was happening not wanting to miss a beat on the woman. The two doctors looked into the room briefly and then Dr. Brette assured her that he would keep her in the loop no matter what. Smiling, she darted towards the change room, opened her locker and pulled out her clothes and toiletries. There were three types of vomit in her hair and blood from the last three shifts. It was not her best look but something she was used to. Strolling into the showers, she removed her dirty lab coat and dark green scrubs, tossing them in the bin and heaving another heavy sigh. The water turned her skin red instantly and she pulled out the tie from her hair as she let the scorching temperature wash over her. This only made it harder for her to keep her eyes open as she was finally warm. Athenacia washed thoroughly, hating when she had bodily fluids in her hair. It was with regret that she had shut off the water, grabbing a towel to cover herself and sighing once more while drying off her body before moving onto her mop of a head.

Athenacia pulled on light blue jean capris and a light purple tank top with a thin black sweater over top of her shirt, low cut enough that one could see what colour her shirt was. Her shoes had a small heel, open-toed with a strap over the toe line and another right before her ankle. Her toes were painted a midnight blue, her foot donning a tattoo of a tribal sun. Sometimes she forgot she had the thing since as her feet were always covered in socks. It was her only tattoo, something she had gotten long ago in her youth and easy to hide should she need it. Towel drying her hair in front of the mirror, she quickly gave up on that and put the blow dryer on it. When she was finished it flared out at the end as usual. It grew like a weed, the bottom of it already grazing the tops of her shoulders. Her highlights were fine but her eyes were brought to her face. Hazel eyes puffy and bloodshot, dark circles underneath looking like someone had used her as a punching bag. Her skin was pale and it made that ugly scar on her neck stand out until it could no longer be seen underneath her clothing. There was no sense in putting on makeup, she was just going home to sleep anyway.

Packing up her things, she pulled out her phone to make sure the sound was turned on. Athenacia did not want to miss any updates on her patient, a nagging feeling taking over her body. Pulling on her purse, the black jacket with the grey hood and her black and grey striped fingerless gloves, she slammed the locker closed and walking out of the room with the last of her energy she could muster up. As she came up to the nurse's station she couldn't help but smile, even though it was tired. Tash was standing there, talking to a mountain of a man, one that she knew all too well. Gladiolus seemed to take it upon himself to show up at her work, so late to boot.

"Hey Doc," he greeted upon seeing her.

"Gladio," she smiled, walking up to him, "What are you doing here?"

"That is not what you say to someone who surprises you," chided Tash, giving her a stern look.

"Came to kidnap you from work," he grinned.

"Well lucky for you, I'm finished," replied Athenacia.

"Lucky for him? Lucky for you! So ungrateful. Why haven't you kissed him yet?" insisted Tash mockingly.

Athenacia groaned, rolling her eyes slightly, "Ignore her, she's menopausal."

Gladiolus laughed, taking her hand in his own to start to lead her away from the room.

"I am  _not_  that old young lady!" Tash called after them.

The two ignored her as they walked hand in hand out of the emergency department. The stars were out, the sky clear and the moon visible. A gentle breeze blew against them, soft and gentle, not cool in the slightest. It was a spectacular night and the doctor wished that she had the energy to enjoy it with him, but she was sure the only reason she hadn't collapsed was that he was right there to keep her up. Their hands parted as they came to his car, both of them getting inside. She leaned her head against the headrest as she put on her seat belt, reclining the seat slightly and eyes closing.

Gladiolus observed her, smiling sadly at her appearance. Athenacia looked terrible, frail and weak. How she managed a shift that long he wasn't sure but it was evident that she wasn't taking proper care of herself. The Shield had thought his presence would have made an improvement and it seemed to, until the defeat on the wall, when she had told him about the number of injured Glaives that had come back. In the back of his mind, he wondered if maybe it was triggering flashbacks she was trying to repress from the war. Athenacia looked worse lately than when he had first seen her but he didn't ask, afraid of dredging up those memories. Putting the thoughts from his mind, he started the engine and pulled away from the hospital, headed in the direction of her home. It didn't take long to get there. It was late and the roads were mostly empty. Athenacia shook off her dozing as she got out of the car, rubbing her eyes and almost tripping over her own feet in exhaustion. It was like she had been out all night drinking. Gladiolus put an arm around her shoulders as he guided her toward the elevator and she leaned her head on him, inhaling his scent. That was not helping her stay awake at all, it was too soothing. The elevator lurched, reaching the seventh floor and she went back to working her feet. One foot, then the other, no need to try and move more than one at the same time, she would have to remember that.

As they got to her door, Athenacia fumbled with her keys trying to get them out of her pocket. A loud  _thump_  was heard as her forehead hit the door while she tried to focus on the lock. Gladio was about to assist her when she managed to get the key inside and turn it, opening the door and nearly falling inside. He was quick to grab her before she fell, trying to keep his face passive, not wanting her to see his frustration at her actions - though he knew they weren't entirely her fault. He grabbed her keys from the lock, closing the door behind them as she kicked her shoes anywhere. Shrugging off her jacket and purse, she flopped them on the floor and dragging her feet towards the kitchen. Her apartment wasn't as clean as the first night Gladiolus had slept there but it wasn't as messy either. The only pile of laundry was actually in the laundry room this time and the take-out food containers were limited to only the kitchen counters, shared with empty beer bottles. The Shield observed that she had drunk a lot more than the last time he was here and that was yet another sign that something was bothering her, something that she wouldn't tell him even if she could. Now was not the time to even think about questioning her, watching as she rummaged through her cupboards to look for something to eat before she collapsed in her bed.

"I got this, Doc," he spoke, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Athenacia smiled at him in thanks, going back into the fridge and pulling out two beers. Gladio accepted one, waiting until she was laying down on the couch before he saw the only food option she actually had. For someone who got sick of them, she did keep a big stock of cupped noodles, and really, who was he to say no to such an easy and good meal? The Shield went to work, keeping an eye on her and seeing her occasionally take a drink of her beer. When he was finished he grabbed two forks, sticking one in his own and one in hers, taking his beer and walking over to the living room. The doctor sat up when she saw him as he took the seat where her head was just occupying. A tired smile found her face as she took her food, turning to face him and bringing her legs to cross in front of her, right up against him. Athenacia told him about her work day, explaining how she had to cut someone open to perform CPR on the naked heart and it just... exploded at her. Gladiolus laughed at her as she went on to describe some of the better moments of her shift, not wanting to tell him about any of the patients that were terminal or didn't make it through the day. The Shield only informed her of his training with the Prince, not wanting to bring anything serious into the mixture. He then went on to talk about some of Prompto's not so graceful movements concerning women.

"He looks, he talks, but as soon as he gets anywhere near them he shuts down," said Gladiolus.

"Well, it's not easy for everyone. I'm sure you had trouble sometimes," she replied, taking a drink and placing her empty container on the table.

"No, not really," he shrugged.

"Right, ego, how could I forget?" she raised a brow, her voice dry.

"There aren't many who don't want a piece of this," he told her seriously.

"I can think of one person who would be turned off by it."

"Who? You? Then what am I doing sitting here?" he smirked.

Athenacia giggled at him and his own smile grew as the sound hit his ears. Gladiolus took the moment to kiss her, softly but with longing, the taste of beer and noodles on her breath. Their noses grazed against each other as he pulled her in for another one, firmer this time. He quickly moved her so that she was sitting on his lap, her legs straight out as her back was against his arm that rested on the armrest, grinned as she squealed with the movement, capturing her lips once more. When they pulled back he softly rubbed her cheek with his thumb and she smiled as she stuck her forehead into the left side of his neck, sighing contently. Gladio rested his head on top of hers, putting his free arm over her legs.

The physician inhaled his masculine scent, allowing it to put her tired body at ease. A small smile was plastered on her face as she dozed off to the sound of his heartbeat, absently listening for any abnormalities and it was healthy. Okay, it was probably beating a little faster than normal but she liked to think that was her presence causing it. Gladio moved his head to see that she had completely passed out, which was what he was waiting for. Carefully he stood, noting she was a lot lighter than the last time he carried her to bed from the couch. Once he placed her down on her bed, he killed the lights, smiling at her when he returned. In the short time he was gone, Athenacia had thrown off most of her clothes to the floor and tucked herself underneath the comforter. The large man walked over to the other side of the bed, able to see from the lights on the street and removed all but his underclothing before crawling into bed beside her. Even deep in her slumber, she smiled as she felt his warmth near her once more, pulling herself close against his naked chest. With an arm wrapped around her, he began his own descent into sleep.

...

The howling wind tore at her skin as she stood, facing her enemy. The red sky bore down upon her as she could clearly see the source of the disturbance. Only one of the creatures was near her and her skin burned hotter with every second but she faced her enemy with defiant eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. Gleaming red eyes stared at her, long, thick, sharp teeth ready to tear her to shreds as a long purple tentacle began to inch its way toward her. Her skin was ablaze and she dropped to her knees in agony, crying out once she could see a tentacle making its way near her. An azure glow began to emanate from her as she screamed, bringing her own fist to try and deflect it.

Athenacia purposefully punched the air with such force that she launched herself up and over the side of the bed, landing on the hardwood floor of her bedroom with a loud  _thump_. She was breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what had just happened as she put her hands flat against the floor. Sighing, she rolled over to her back. It was still dark out, the sun not even close to rising though she was unsure of the exact time. A pulse of pain coursing through her, she noted that she really needed to stop hitting her head on hard, wooden objects.

"Doc, you okay?" asked Gladiolus from her bed.

The girl could hear the creaking of the springs in her bed as he shifted to prop himself up on one arm to have a look over the edge.

"...Yeah..." came her reply shortly after, rubbing her eyes.

Gladio was silent, setting back down in bed.

"Is it okay to laugh now?" he asked, not even attempting to hide the smile in his voice.

"Jerk," she responded in a light tone, though she let out a small huff of a laugh.

The Shield roared with laughter then and she kept a smile on her face as she got up from the floor and back under her covers, into his massive awaiting arms. Her head was on his chest as his arm came around her, holding her against him. Athenacia placed a leg over him, having it fall in between his own as his chuckles subsided.

"Don't worry, Doc, I'll protect you from the floor," he smiled at her in the dark.

"My hero," she mocked him, her eyes closed.

Gladio kissed the top of her head, before pulling her closer and closing his amber eyes. Athenacia pretended to be asleep but truth be told, she only lied awake, unable to allow that deep slumber claim her again. Once she could feel his breath even out and hear some of his light snores she rolled over, putting her back toward him while keeping his arm in her grasp, holding it to her body. The physician did not expect him to roll with her, however, so she was startled when his other huge arm came to rest upon her body, pulling her back against his chest. The large man placed his head over hers and she stayed perfectly still against him, relaxing only when she heard his light snores start up once more. Athenacia sighed - though she had a smile on her face - definitely missing being close to someone and it was completely different with Gladiolus. Maybe it was because he was born a protector, maybe it was because she felt different around him, either way, she didn't question it, she just accepted that she had let her guard down to have him worm his way into her life. There were no regrets and she started to fall asleep once more, contently.

...

She was running, her bag clutched tightly against her body as she fought through the raging wind. Avoiding debris was difficult in the angry wind, trying desperately to get to her target. A cry escaped her once she was knocked off of her feet, unable to avoid the obstacle she collided with at an alarming rate. The ground beneath her quaked, making it difficult for her to get back up but she still had her bag, had people to save and she was going to do so. Forcing herself back onto her trembling legs, she set out again toward her destination. Once more she was swept off her feet, feeling tears in her eyes at the pain she felt. She couldn't stop, she had to keep going. Their screams filled her ears and she continued on her path but the dark shadow ahead of her wouldn't let her pass. Frozen in fear, it attacked her, that gleaming blade coming for her swiftly.

Athenacia shook herself awake before the impact. The sunshine was in her windows, peeking its way up to alert her of the morning. That was far from her mind, breathing heavily with her heart hammering in her chest at her nightmare. The doctor nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt Gladiolus beside her, his arm still on top of her and holding her against him. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Shit, she didn't want him to see this.

"You alright?" he asked, completely alert.

"Yeah," she breathed, "Just a bad dream," she tried to be reassuring.

"Mm," he grunted at her, taking in a deep breath of his own. It was then she felt his lips against her neck, sending a jolt down her spine, "Let me help you forget it," she felt his grin against her skin.

"Such a gentleman," she replied dryly.

Athenacia smiled then, turning to face him. They kissed as she wrapped her leg around him, hooking him to her so he couldn't move. The arm she slept on pulled her against his body, as his other hand firmly ran from her back down to her thigh, taking his time with a handful of her right, lower cheek. The physician placed a light kiss on his jaw, diving in at his neck and causing low rumbles of moans to erupt from his throat. The vibrations against her lips emboldened her to continue and then she pulled him back for another hungry kiss. Swiftly, Gladio rolled her onto her back, causing her to smile at him as he continued his barrage of kisses with her. Athenacia heard her phone buzz on the night table beside her bed and her eyes darted toward it instantly. Just as she was going to reach for it, Gladiolus moved his lips from her own down right underneath her left ear, distracting her as he pulled the flesh into his mouth and enticed a light sigh out of her. The phone vibrated again and she reached for it, prying her eyes open to have a look at the message. Shit. She sighed, putting her phone back, hating herself right now.

"Gladio..." she said gently, in a serious tone.

The man ceased his actions and looked at her. A frown began to crease his brows, he knew that look, "Doc, no," he protested.

"I'm sorry I have to," she was genuinely upset, though mostly with herself for doing this to him again.

"I'm gonna throw that thing out the window," he grumbled, rolling off her with a heavy sigh.

"I'm so sorry, I just..." she propped herself up, looking at him, "I'm really worried about this patient, she's pregnant and she coded again last night and I..." she didn't know how to describe it, frowning.

Gladiolus sighed, as he gazed at her. He understood her position, who was he to deny patients her care? Smiling sadly, he pulled her in for a quick kiss.

"Get ready," he instructed softly.

"I'm so, so sorry."

"You owe me," he said as she got up and started to put on her clothes.

"I know," she replied.

"I'm serious, Doc," he stood, putting on his own clothes.

Athenacia walked up to him, standing on her tip toes and wrapping her arms around his neck, "I swear just this morning shift and then I'm completely yours after," she told him sincerely, pulling him down to kiss her.

"Deal," he smirked, kissing her quick before she let him go.

He followed her out of her bedroom, where she frantically grabbed her purse, jacket and hastily put her shoes on before leaving with him at her side.


	15. Hypoxemia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for all the positivity! you're awesome!

Dr. Virum was running around the emergency department like her head was cut off. There was a crash this morning, multi-car accident. It seemed to happen frequently in the city and things were a little hectic now the Glaives returned. Triage was a pain in the ass, however, they managed to get through the morning just fine; only one casualty and three in ICU. Ever since the Kingsglaives returned there was more activity in the civilians. Everyone was a nervous wreck, most people suffering symptoms created by anxiety. Virum hated psychology, there were too many variables. Cut and dry medicine, it was the reason she went to the emergency department.

The doctor also didn't like lingering patients, she got too emotional. Like this pregnant woman who was showing no improvement with their treatment. Virum pulled out her tablet, taking a breath and trying to focus before walking into the patient's room, heart heavy as the monitors beeped at her. The girl wasn't responding to anything, the infection was slowly killing her and if they didn't do anything it might finally reach the fetus. Dr. Virum sighed as she walked up to the patient, taking note of the vitals. Heart rate was low, BP was low, even the temperature was a little low. The woman had coded again during her shift and Virum was lucky to have restarted her heart again but she was sure that was the last time she could. The heart just couldn't take anymore and they had her in a medically induced coma in order to minimize the pain and discomfort. The patient was too anxious anyway, doing better not up and worrying about her baby. Unfortunately, the fetus was far too undeveloped to be taken out. If they lost the mother they lost the baby and Dr. Virum was not going let that happen. Analyzing the file, she wore a thoughtful frown as she again observed the patient and then the monitors began to scream in protest.

"Need help in here!" she shouted at the open door.

Two nurses rushed inside the room, awaiting her instruction.

"Respiratory arrest, the infection is making her hypoxic. We have to intubate, get me the laryngoscope," Virum instructed sternly.

One nurse carried out her orders while the other one got the ventilator ready. The doctor's face was focused as she carefully used the scope to help guide the tube into the patient's esophagus. Her hands were steady as the monitors screamed at her, trying to warn her of the devastation going on inside this woman's body. Virum took a breath, exhaling slowly as she worked her way through the cords and into the trachea. Satisfied, she pulled out the scope and hooked up the ventilator. The monitors calmed down and Dr. Virum breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Another thoughtful frown found her face as she observed her patient.

Meredith Noregn, 30 year-old. She had frizzy black hair, long eyelashes and olive toned skin. The patient wasn't very tall but she was gorgeous and glowed with her pregnancy. Until she came here into the emergency department trying to figure out why she was so short of breath, why she was so exhausted - and all they could find was an infection that was somewhere within her body. It made Virum sick that she was so helpless. And then an idea struck her, one last one, and hopefully, it would do the trick. The doctor ordered the medication on her tablet, hoping to see results before her shift was over. She had promised Gladiolus that she wouldn't do anything about work when she was done and she couldn't go back on that. She felt guilty for bailing on him yet again. He was very patient with her regarding her job, but she knew that until this woman was settled that the job would constantly be on the brain. Virum walked toward the nurse's station, smiling sadly at Gin while her tablet was in her face before scanning through patient files, content that there was nothing terribly pressing.

"Weren't you supposed to have the morning off?" asked Gin.

"Weren't you?" replied Dr. Virum, raising a brow.

The pregnant nurse just looked at her helplessly, "This city is going insane."

"War's a trying time," she shrugged.

"What do you think is going to happen now?"

"Just worry about your baby. Speculating the war only makes you miserable."

Gin sighed, "I guess you would know."

Virum nodded, watching as a nurse approached her patient's room with the medication she had ordered. She then walked into another room, trying to get as many patients out of the hospital as possible.

...

"Call a code!" Dr. Virum shouted.

Meredith was crashing again, this time her heart was acting up. Two nurses rushed into the room and Virum disengaged the machine, while one of the nurses started CPR. The other nurse got the crash cart and Dr. Virum pushed in the last amount of epinephrine that the patient could take. Once the paddles were ready she began her work. After four shock treatments, Meredith finally had a mostly normal sinus rhythm and the doctor once again let out a sigh of relief as she hooked up the ventilator once more. Pulling out her tablet, she punched in all the updates, heart still heavy about the medication not taking its toll at all. This woman was going to die and so was her baby. There was no way they could remove the child and keep it alive, it was too early. They just didn't have that kind of technology. If only she was a little further along. Virum felt tears well in her eyes, knowing that this was the last time she would be able to stop her patient from dying. The next time... well, that was it. The doctor put her hand on top of the patient's as the monitors hummed their stale tune. It just wasn't fair.

Gladiolus was standing at the nurse's station, talking with Gin, the pregnant charge nurse. Athenacia was supposed to be done her shift about fifteen minutes ago but a quick look into the room and he knew that she wasn't going to pull away just yet. It didn't look good in there and he assumed that this was the patient she was talking about earlier this morning. Gin was also looking in that direction, a sad look on her face. The Shield grew thoughtful as he watched her close the glass sliding door to the room and then draw the curtains so they could no longer see.

"She's not going to make it," said Gin softly.

"No?" asked Gladiolus absently, looking back at the nurse.

"She's saying goodbye. I hope whatever you have planned it involves a lot of drinking."

Gladiolus grunted, not really knowing how to respond, "Must be hard," was all he could manage, his eyes distant.

Dr. Virum drew in a staggering breath, hating that there was nothing more she could do for this patient. All this caused by an infection that they not only could hardly see, but couldn't even treat because of this woman's complicated pregnancy. Nothing was working, and now two lives were going to die because of it. This was unacceptable. There was no way she could just sit back and lose this battle, there had to be something more she could do. Virum studied the patient file, everything that had been done since the woman was admitted, desperate to see something to connect the dots.

Finally, an idea struck her. There was one last thing that she could do and she was hoping that it would work. Wiping her tears and sniffling a little, she walked to the doorway and closed the glass sliding door. Virum then pulled the curtains so that no one could see her, catching the eye of Gladiolus briefly. Walking back to the patient, she removed her latex gloves and holding her hands above Meredith. Drawing in a large breath, she focused intently on what she was doing, letting the breath out slowly as golden lights began to emanate from her hands and down toward Meredith. Dr. Virum watched as the pregnant woman was glowing gold before she could no longer keep up her work. Arms dropped to her sides as she felt a wave of dizziness spread through her body. It was only for a moment, her attention snapped back to Meredith once the woman opened her eyes. Virum smiled, as tears of joy welled within her tired hazel eyes. Meredith was choking and the doctor disengaged the ventilator, pulling the tube slowly out of the esophagus. The patient coughed and she encouraged more coughing to help get the tube out. Finally, the woman took a breath of her own, choking slightly. Dr. Virum took her tablet out of her lab coat pocket, keeping her eyes on the machines. They were all looking normal and it made her feel so much better.

"How are you feeling?" she asked her patient, who finally caught her breath.

Dr. Virum put on her stethoscope, having a listen.

"Fine," replied Meredith hoarsely.

"No discomfort?" she asked, hearing no struggle breathing and a strong heartbeat.

She moved to the swollen womb.

"My throat," the patient croaked.

"That's the tube and the medication. You gave us all quite a scare," Dr. Virum told her seriously, removing the scope from her ears and placing it back around her neck.

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I'm just happy that you made it," said Virum, smiling brightly at the woman, "Because of your condition I'll need to keep you here for observation and order some more tests, but if you continue to improve, you'll be out of here in no time."

"Thank you."

Dr. Virum nodded, turning to leave the room. A smile was plastered on her face as she opened the curtains and left the examination room, catching the eye of Gladiolus and Gin, who were not expecting her to come back in such high spirits. The nurse looked like she was about to cry, those damn pregnancy hormones getting to her. Gladio, on the other hand, seemed to look relieved that she wasn't a mess like he thought she would be. Obviously, Gin's big mouth was at it again. As she approached the nurse's station, she ordered one nurse to bring in some water for the patient. Virum then had her tablet on the counter and began to update everything before signing herself out for the day. Her shift was done, she could finally leave. Gin was still smiling at her.

"You, are something else," said the ginger-haired woman.

Dr. Virum shrugged, "The medication finally started to work."

"I don't think anyone else can pull that stuff off besides you."

"We'll never know. She's stable, breathing on her own and her heart rate is strong, BP rising. I want a head CT, CBC, an echo and an x-ray. She needs to be monitored, I don't want this creeping back up on us again," instructed Dr. Virum.

"I love when you talk doctor," said Gladiolus smirking, "Maybe we can play later."

"Gladio!" she huffed, her face turning red instantly as her eyes widened.

Gin only laughed as she punched in all the orders given to her into her own tablet, "I don't even want to know."

Gladiolus only waggled his eyebrows at her, which caused the pregnant woman to laugh harder and the doctor to flush even more.

"I don't even care right now," Dr. Virum recovered herself as best she could, kissing Gladiolus quickly, "I'll be five minutes," she told him, practically skipping on her way towards the locker room out of sight.

The Shield only watched her with that crooked grin on his face, his amber eyes alight with her mood, "Is she always like that?"

"Only when she wins," answered Gin.

"She get attached to patients a lot?"

"Some. Mostly infants."

He grunted, "So she likes children?"

Gin gave him a look, "Slow down there big guy."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Mhm. Nothing to do with playing 'doctor'," replied Gin dryly.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"You are trouble! You are a troublemaker."

He only smiled wider at her and the woman rolled her eyes.

"Cia doesn't usually get attached to any patient, but she always has a soft spot for young children and infants."

"Wonder why..." his face grew into a thoughtful frown.

"Couldn't tell you," she shrugged.

Gladio remembered a while back when they were in code grey and she was dealing with that young girl from the crash, Valentina. Athenacia was good with the child and the little girl seemed to trust her. He remembered the baby that needed the heart transplant, how devoted she was to make sure it happened. And now there was this pregnant mother who was going to die if she didn't do something. How many had she saved? How many had she lost? Gladiolus had another revelation about this woman he was with. Every day he seemed to learn something new about her that drew him closer to her. His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of her, still wearing her light green scrubs underneath her jacket, finding that there was no need to change. That same smile was still plastered on her face and that light in her eyes was shining brightly for the first time in days. Gladio regarded her in almost a loving manner. These were probably the types of days that made her feel good about her profession and he suddenly felt very foolish at having protested her coming in at all. Her job was who she was and the biggest reason he had come after her in the first place, he wasn't going to be selfish and take that away from her.

Athenacia waved goodbye to Gin as she walked out of the emergency department with Gladiolus. The girl was exhausted, the high she felt from saving her patient wearing off and the toll of her actions settling in, however, it was worth it and her smile returned to her face. The ride back to her apartment building was a short one. At least, that's how it felt. Athenacia wanted to get ready for the day, wondering what they were going to do now that she actually had some time off. As they got out of the car and walked toward the elevator, Gladiolus's phone chimed at him.

"I gotta stop at Noct's," said Gladio as they got inside.

"I have to shower or something anyway," replied Athenacia, hoping she could maybe get in one of her naps.

The Shield nodded at her, taking out a card and swiping it before pushing the top floor. Athenacia pushed the button for the seventh floor and they rode the short distance together. When the elevator stopped she smiled at him before beginning to step out.

"I shouldn't be long," he told her.

"Take your time," she replied, her smile growing tired.

Athenacia walked out of the elevator and down the hallway to her floor. The physician had a much easier time opening her apartment since she wasn't nearly as tired as last time she tried it. Closing the door, she heaved a sigh before kicking her shoes off and dropping her jacket and purse on the floor near the couch, walking straight into the kitchen. The first thing she grabbed out of the fridge was a beer, taking a look around. It was messy in here, she was best cleaning up a little but she was way too tired. Gulping down a long drink, she made her way to the bathroom.

The doctor began to run the water, deciding that she was finally going to have that bath she promised herself ages ago. As the sound of water filled her ears in the echoing room she began to remove her clothes, the steam starting to build as she observed herself in the mirror. There was some colour to her cheeks, the black circles under her eyes lessened than the last time she looked. That was a good sign, it meant that despite waking up twice last night she actually had a bit of a decent sleep. Her hazel eyes then found that ugly scar on her neck that ran down her collarbone and ended right where her armpit began. Athenacia sighed, hating the sight of that thing. It was ugly and it made her feel insecure about it. Pulling the tie from her hair, she tossed it on the counter before turning her back on her own image, the water finally ready for her. The girl submerged herself, relief washing over her aching body - though it didn't hurt in a physical nature it still soothed her soul and that's what she really needed right now. She needed to replenish her energy in order to get through the rest of the day. Her skin was red, as she was practically boiling inside but she didn't mind in the slightest.

Once she was finished cleaning herself she didn't put on anything fancy, only a pair of black yoga capris and an orange tank top. Athenacia had no idea what she was doing today and wanted to catch a quick nap anyway. Finishing her beer, she placed the bottle with the others on her night table and only pulled the light knitted blanket on top of her as she lied in her bed. She was dozing instantly, sleep claiming her much quicker than she anticipated.

...

Gladiolus walked into Prince Noctis's apartment without knocking, removing his shoes quickly at the door and walking down the hallway into the main room where three men were surprised he had made it so fast. Well, that was inaccurate, the Prince was lazily sitting on his couch with his eyes distant, Prompto was happily popping pieces of sweets into his mouth but stopped midway through one of them and Ignis only looking mildly curious as he finished cleaning up the kitchen. Gladio looked at Prompto, raising a brow and wondering why the young man was staring at him in that manner, mouth wide open, hand holding a piece of food about to be thrown in.

"What?" asked Gladiolus.

"Dude, how'd you get here so fast?" asked Prompto, the food still in his hands.

"The journey between floors is nearly instantaneous," quipped Ignis lightly.

"What?"

"He was at his girlfriend's," supplied Noctis, annoyed.

Prompto made a perfect O with his mouth, nodding in understanding and putting the food in his mouth. Ignis internally sighed at the Prince's tone, his face frowning in thought. The blond seemed to be the only one who didn't have a care in the world, the tension not getting to him - and make no mistake, there was a high tension here. Gladiolus was obviously missing something.

"What's eating you?" he asked the sullen Royal.

Noctis only glared at his Shield darkly, before turning his gaze out towards the window. Gladio looked at Ignis, knowing that was the only way he was going to get any answers here.

"Have you spoke to your father recently?" asked the Adviser.

Gladiolus shook his head, "Haven't seen him in a few days, he's been staying at the Citadel."

"Not surprising in the slightest. But you did learn of the emissary of the Empire approaching the Crown City and taking an audience with the King?"

"Yeah, something about a peace treaty."

"Precisely."

"What about it?"

"The terms are quite clear. We are, that is, King Regis is to surrender all of Lucis sans Insomnia to Niflheim."

"What?!" his eyes narrowed dangerously, his arms crossing in defence.

"That's not all of it," grumbled Noctis.

"Indeed. Another clause requires the Crown Prince to be wed to the current Oracle and former Princess of Tenebrae, Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret," explained Ignis.

"No one knows about it yet, I'm not even supposed to know," said Prompto.

"The King has yet to respond, though I daresay he'll accept..."

Gladiolus grunted in response, that part not really shocking him, "So what's the problem then?"

"They're forcing me to marry Luna," replied Noctis, nearly outraged.

"So what?"

Noctis looked back at Gladiolus, but actually had nothing to say. He returned his stare back out the window, trying to actually find a problem with the proposed peace treaty. In truth, there was no real issue with that part of the treaty, but he couldn't let his guard down and admit that he was actually happy about seeing Luna again.

"I don't know, dude. I think you got it pretty good. You get to marry a super cute girl, and one you actually like," said Prompto, popping more sweets into his mouth. Ignis took the plate away before he could devour anymore, "Hey!"

"You'll put on weight with more consumption," said Ignis sternly.

"You really think I'm lucky?" asked Noctis, looking over at Prompto with mild interest.

Prompto shrugged, "Sure. Not everyone gets to marry their dream girl."

"She's not-"

"If anything she's the one getting the shit end of the stick," teased Gladiolus, seeing the opening Prompto provided.

"Hey!" shouted Noctis, all previous discontent evaporating.

"Oh definitely," agreed Prompto.

Gladio grinned his defensive stance dropping. His phone buzzed and he pulled it out, checking on the message. Frowning, he quickly typed his response before looking up at the rest of them.

"I gotta go," he declared.

"Back to your girlfriends?" mocked Prompto in a sing-song voice.

Noctis only laughed, happy the attention was off of him.

"With Noct getting married that only leaves you left to die alone Prompto."

"Dude, what about Iggy?"

"He'll be fine, he knows how to actually talk to women."

"Noct!" Prompto whined.

"Don't look at me, where were you earlier?" replied the Prince with mock indignance.

Gladiolus only grinned as he slowly backed away, Ignis giving the man a glare at the trouble he was leaving him with. The Shield put his shoes on and crept out the door, closing it without a sound. The elevator ride didn't take long, walking down the hall to unit 708 and opening the door - again without knocking and politely took his shoes off. A brow was raised at the lack of shoes on the other side of the door, not expecting any of it to be cleaned. The Shield walked further in, stopping as soon as he reached the living area and smirking, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

Athenacia had music playing, her hair up in a lower ponytail as she danced around collecting garbage while she did so. The girl was singing even, taking a drink of a beer in between breaths. Her voice was absolutely terrible but Gladiolus suspected she was doing most of that on purpose. There was no way to tell how much she had drunk since she had come home but obviously she was having a good time without him. The Shield was almost starting to get jealous as he watched her, narrowing his eyes slightly when he noted she was favouring her right shoulder while she moved. And then she caught sight of him and stopped dead in her tracks. Her face turned beet red as she dropped her garbage bag and hastily turned off the music.

"Gladio," she was out breath from her own movements.

"Hey Doc," his grin was from ear to ear as he regarded her, "Don't stop on my account."

She flushed further, taking a long drink of her beer, finishing it and placing it purposefully on the counter, "I'm pretty much done here anyway," she tried to wave off, wincing as she did so.

"You hurt?"

"I just slept on it funny," she replied, wincing again as she moved her right shoulder

Gladiolus walked toward her, stepping behind her and placing his massive hands on her shoulders. Carefully, he began to prod around with his thumbs until he found the tender spot and then knead his fingers. The sounds of her discomfort reached him, though she didn't move at all. It was knotted, the entirety of her neck and shoulders completely tense, almost as if she had never had a massage before. Obviously she needed more time to relax.

"This is what happens when you sleep without me," he whispered in her ear.

He smirked when small goosebumps appeared on her skin where he was working.

" _You're_  the one who had to go," she replied with mock indignance, still wincing once in a while.

Gladio didn't respond but finished working the tension in her shoulders. Athenacia turned to face him then, a small smile on her face and he realized he rarely saw her so exposed. In this light, he could see the scar on her neck to its entirety, his amber eyes rolling over it. The tissue started from her neck and travelled down just below her shoulder. It was much wider in the middle, the blemished skin almost looking fresh. The Shield took his hand and lightly traced his finger over it, from start to finish. That made her very self-conscious. It wasn't like he hadn't seen it before, usually, he just ignored it. This was the first time he had openly stared at it, gave it any sort of attention and she bit her lip in a nervous manner, flinching ever so slightly as he touched it. Athenacia hated that thing, it was so  _ugly_. Her brows knitting into worry and she pushed his hand away, desperate to hide it from view. She took in a sharp, small breath as he took her cheek in his hand, forcing her to look up at his frown. Gladio used his other hand to push hers away and her anxiety rose as she watched his amber eyes travel back to her scar. Without warning, he bent down and kissed her damaged skin and she was almost frigid. His lips were tentative and light and she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, her fears melting away at his touch. The Shield brought his gaze back to her, placing his forehead against hers.

"You still owe me an exam," he spoke, his breath hot on her face.

She smiled slightly, biting her lip again nervously and he kissed her, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"What seems to be the problem?" she asked lightly, almost out of breath.

"Chest pain," he grunted.

Athenacia removed her arms from his neck, slowly slithering them down his upper body and underneath his shirt. The large man breathed in as her cold fingers worked their way up toward his heart and stopped.

"Your heart rate is slightly elevated," she said softly, "And your breathing is somewhat shallow. Perhaps..." she began to lift his shirt, "Relieving the pressure..." she pulled it up over his head, having to stand on her tiptoes in order to reach, "Should help..."

His shirt hit the floor and he grabbed one of her wrists, bringing her palm to his lips and placing a soft kiss there. The physician was losing her own breath, trapped within his gaze while her other hand ran through his hair, her fingers tangling in the brown locks as they kissed once more.

But as fate would have it, they were interrupted by the phone buzzing.

Gladiolus detached from her, looking almost annoyed.

"Don't look at me like that, my phone is turned off in another room," she held her hands up in surrender.

He groaned, taking out his phone, shaking his head at the message.

"I forgot I was supposed to meet with my dad."

"I thought you had the night off?" she frowned.

"Yeah, he called me home while I was up at Noct's. I was coming down to tell you I just..." he left it hanging, placing a hand on the back of his head sheepishly.

The girl nodded, "Go, don't keep your dad waiting anymore."

He grinned, giving her a quick kiss, "Thanks, Doc, see you tomorrow."

Athenacia smiled as he took off out the door without a second thought. She then let out a small laugh as she picked up his shirt off the ground. The door opened and she smirked as she held out his shirt toward the hallway. Gladio beamed at her, kissing her deeply once more before grabbing it from her and then turning to leave again.


	16. Dilation and Curettage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, kudos and comments! It's all so heartwarming!

With Gladiolus gone for the night, Athenacia turned on her phone after grabbing another beer. Her music was back on and she had finished cleaning her home spotless. Once her device had booted up completely she noted that she had a message from Crowe. The Glaive wanted her to come out with them tonight, rambling about good old times. Athenacia sighed as she looked out her windows. The sun was still out, minimal daylight remaining. Shrugging, she responded to the young woman's message and then putting her phone down. It wasn't often she went out, might as well make use of her time off. Besides, she was already feeling buzzed enough to not care about being seen with a bunch of Glaives. At least these ones liked her. Walking into her closet, she rifled through her clothes to find something appropriate for the night. It became very evident that she did own a lot of clothes, far more than necessary for someone who mostly wore scrubs. And then she remembered why. Some weeks it was just easier to buy a new set of clothes instead of going through the effort of washing load after never-ending load of laundry - which also explained the big mountainous laundry piles that formed in her apartment. She really was a slob. Sighing, she finally grabbed something and scurried into the bathroom.

Peeling off her current clothing, pulling out her hair and then putting on the new clothes, she discarded the soiled linens on the floor. Fixing up her hair and throwing on a bit of makeup, she walked out of the bathroom, leaving the mess she made after just cleaning lying around. Athenacia took a moment to observe herself in the stand-up mirror in her bedroom, scrutinizing her image with the natural light billowing in from her many windows. The skirt was grey, clutching her hips and flaring out once the material hit her upper thigh, hanging halfway to her knees. Her black shirt was tight as well, clinging to her body and revealing a small amount of her abdomen, just below the navel and it only covered one shoulder, the side her scar was on. With her hair flared out and grazing the tops of her shoulders, people would hardly be able to notice it and that made her happy. Athenacia also wore a thin white sweater over top her upper body that reached her mid forearm and hung loosely, stopping just below the top of the skirt.

Satisfied, she grabbed her phone and left the bedroom, walking to her foyer before opening the closet and searching for shoes. The doctor carelessly threw them around the small area. This was why she never cleaned up, it was far easier to find everything she needed when it was in plain sight. Tearing everything apart was time-consuming. Finally finding her acquired target she slipped them on her feet effortlessly, simple black wedges with three straps, one around her toes, mid food and just before her ankle. Pulling her purse over her head, she decided not to wear a jacket as she stepped out the door, trying not to trip on her discarded shoes in the process.

Athenacia was already in the lobby before she remembered that she was supposed to lock the door, feeling slightly buzzed at her afternoon happy hour. When she stepped out of the front of the building she shrugged it off and walked a few blocks toward the subway entrance. Obviously she couldn't drive in this state and with Gladiolus consistently coming to pick her up, her car was currently parked in the staff lot. That was getting to be a bit bothersome but only for other people. Gin and Tash knew to never expect her at the hospital as much anyway now that she was starting to develop a life outside of it. Athenacia descended the stairs, carefully avoiding the masses of Insomnians as she did so and walked through the gate without an issue to wait for the train. It was busy down here, the most convenient way to travel and faster than driving. The only reason she really took her car back and forth was because she kept clothes and other supplies in her trunk. Any other time what she needed was within walking distance but her destination was quite far away and though walking would do her some good, she wasn't interested.

The physician was pushed with others quickly inside of the train, grabbing hold of one of the poles while she pulled out her phone. Athenacia responded to another message from Crowe and wasn't surprised she hadn't heard from Gladiolus just yet. It wasn't shocking and she wasn't going to intrude if he was with his father, the man was busy and she wasn't sure how much time they really got to spend with each other. The former Glaive had met Clarus Amicitia a few times - though they only spoke brief words to each other. Athenacia knew who he was, his purpose in life, everyone in the city did. If she kept up her relationship, she might end up seeing more of him. That was a bit of a scary thought since she was quite certain that man did not approve of who she was. The sudden jolt of the trained screeching to a stop pulled her from her reverie, allowing her to swiftly pile out with other citizens, walk past the gate and up the stairs. The sun had set, all the lights on while the stars made their appearance. The doctor looked around, trying to get her bearings. This was her old neck of the woods before she had left the Kingsglaive and became a full-time doctor in the emergency department. In truth, he was a little uneasy about coming back here after everything that happened, but she was also buzzing enough that she didn't care. She hardly took two steps before bumping into someone.

"Geeze, lady, watch where you're going," said Nyx, smiling at her.

"Isn't watching your new profession now?" replied Athenacia with a brow raised.

The Glaive only laughed as the two of them began to walk with each other. After disobeying the direct orders on the wall, Nyx Ulric was reassigned to keep watch at the gate on the city limits. It wasn't his ideal job but definitely a punishment. The man was bearing it with a smile, knowing it was probably the only way he could get out of it. Athenacia always knew he was a troublemaker and that was initially how they had become friends in the first place. As they approached a handful of Glaives, Athenacia smiled slightly. Crowe and Pelna had their backs toward them, Libertus sitting at the head of the table with his leg still in a cast. Luche was on the other side, facing them.

"Hey, rough day on the gate, huh Glaive?" greeted Libertus, who was the first to notice them.

Nyx just shrugged while Athenacia smiled.

"You jerk, it's your fault he got stuck there," said Crowe, reaching down and slapping his cast, causing him to grunt in pain.

"Not a very nice welcome for a big hero," said Nyx dryly.

Crowe had stood up, walking toward them, "Not a very nice outfit for one either," she replied, stopping to take a look at him.

"It brings out my eyes."

"Nothing here has changed," said Athenacia laughing a little.

"And would you look what the cat dragged with him," said Luche, rising from his seat as Nyx made his way over.

Pelna also got up, offering Athenacia his seat beside Crowe who was sitting down again.

"I missed you too sweetheart," she blew a mocking kiss at him.

"No Shield?" grinned Crowe.

Athenacia just elbowed her in response, rolling her eyes.

Libertus took a bite of his food, crying out in disgust, "What'd you put in this? Tastes like a Chocobo turd!" he looked over at the street vendor.

"Hey, shut your trap," he replied in his thick brogue, "This ain't Galahd. That's the way folks around here like it."

"Oh, well, glad to see you're willing to sell out our heritage for a few extra gil!"

"Hey, Libertus, you thank Nyx for saving your life yet?" asked Crowe, diffusing the pointless argument.

"Oh come on, Crowe, Nyx and I are too close for that. He helps me, I help him that's how it's always been."

"Looks like you got a little help from something else, huh?" asked Nyx, handing Libertus his jacket.

Athenacia saw the bottle of pills inside of it.

"I don't remember prescribing that much..." she pointedly put her nose in her drink.

"I need all I can get," said Libertus.

"For hearth!"

"And home," the others chimed, Nyx taking a drink he received from Pelna.

Athenacia laughed, "Drautos still got you on that chant eh?"

"Home is home, Cia, helps us remember," said Pelna, sitting beside her, "So, Nyx the gatekeeper. How's the new post treatin' ya?"

"Oh it's amazing, you guys would love it," replied Nyx, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Gate watch are real sweethearts."

Pelna laughed, "Yeah right. We all know they hate us outsiders more than anything. So bored they got nothing better to do."

"Boredom's not so bad. Means there's peace at least. I'd fight a hundred more wars for Galahdans to know boredom."

"Fight all you want, just don't go dying yet. I still owe you, a lot."

"Where would the Glaive be without its hero?" asked Libertus mockingly.

"Can you not talk like this while we're drinking, please?" Crowe was annoyed, "I finally got this girl out of the house,' she gestured to Athenacia.

"She's a Glaive," scoffed Libertus.

"Negative, sir, I am just an ordinary citizen," she replied, taking some of Crowe's food and eating it.

"Besides, we just sent the Niffs running with their tails between their legs, right?" interjected Crowe, trying to shift things more positively.

"They weren't running from us," said Luche finally, after observing from the sidelines, "No they were toying with us."

"Stop being such a buzzkill, Luche. We all know what happened," said Nyx.

"Did you know they sent an envoy to the Citadel after that?"

That got Athenacia's attention. She put her drink down, looking at it with a thoughtful frown while listening intently.

"What for?" asked Libertus, "To offer their surrender?"

"More like demand ours," replied Luche.

"What?" Nyx looked disbelieving.

"Demand?" Libertus's voice rose an octave, "My ass!"

"No? Think about it. The empire's got Lucis on its last legs. It's the perfect time to make demands," insisted Luche.

Athenacia was silent, his words running through her head. Pelna pushed his cup away in disgust while Crowe just rolled her eyes. Libertus had an angry look to him, and Nyx wore an expression much like her own. The doctor pulled out her phone, messaging Cor. If there was a surrender in the process, she needed to know about it.

...

Athenacia woke up on the cool tiles of her bathroom floor, groaning as the sun coming in from her bedroom windows seared into her retinas. Pushing up with her hands slowly, her world was still spinning. Obviously she passed out here at some point in the night, looking around and seeing her shoes kicked off, her clothes from earlier in the day yesterday and her purse all lying on the floor. Her keys were also tossed hastily near the sink. Sighing, she looked in the toilet, happy that it was clear and phone free. She didn't need another incident from her last night out. Holding her head and taking a breath, she scanned the room with her hazel eyes for her phone. It was nowhere in sight. Athenacia drew in a deep breath, trying to keep her nausea down before slowly rising from the floor and onto her bare feet, taking a quick look at herself. All in all, she didn't look too terrible. As she came into the bedroom she was happy to see that her phone was safe on the nightstand. Pulling it off the charger, she unlocked it and checked her three unread messages.

_Crowe: Sorry about Luche, Hopefully that doesn't scare you away, miss you._

_Athenacia: No worries. Maybe next time we drink less, I'm getting a little too old for this._

_Gladio: You're mine tonight._

_Athenacia: Only if you can catch me._

_Cor: Be there in an hour._

_Athenacia: Okay._

The doctor checked the time stamp on the last message and her hazel eyes widened. That was sent nearly an hour ago. Shit. Athenacia ran around the room frantically, trying to fix herself up a little. A booming knock at her door stopped her dead in her tracks. Too late. Shit. Muttering more curses, she kicked most of her mess into a far corner of the bathroom and walked out of her bedroom toward her foyer, trying to keep down nausea that settled in from her quick movements. Just as she was about to enter the hallway to allow her visitor in, the door swung open and was met with an exasperated brow. Athenacia froze like a deer in headlights, wondering if he broke her lock. Cor Leonis walked in, not even bothering to take his shoes off but he was holding something that smelled incredibly delicious. He gave her a once-over, raising a brow at her dishevelled appearance. The girl wiped vomit from the side of her mouth that she was all of sudden conscious about. Cor put a bag on the breakfast nook, walking past her and going to sit on one of her stools.

"Cleaner than usual," he grunted, "Brought you breakfast."

"Well aren't you a sweetheart," she replied dryly, putting her phone down and taking a seat beside him. Athenacia began to open the bag, pulling out the styrofoam container that held what smelled like greasy food. Perfect, "How'd you get in?"

"Door wasn't locked."

"Oh," she buried her face in her food.

"I've told you numerous times to always lock it."

The doctor just shrugged and he bit his tongue on a natural retort ready to burst from his lips. She took the plastic fork, digging into her peameal benedict.

"You've been drinking a lot lately."

"Keeping tabs on me?" there was a small edge to her voice.

"You're dating the Prince's sworn Shield," he gave her a pointed look, "Kind of hard not to."

Athenacia stopped moving. It wasn't that she was shocked he knew about that relationship - everyone knew about it - she just wasn't sure what his reaction to it would be. Maybe that's what Gladiolus had to go see his father about? But Clarus would know exactly who she was and her situation, just as Cor and the King did. Maybe she was overthinking things. Getting involved with Crownsguard was always complicated and one of the reasons she swore she never would.

"Relax, I'm not here to dictate your personal life," said Cor.

"You disapprove?" she wasn't sure why she needed to know, but she did.

Perhaps it was because he had known her almost her entire life. Athenacia generally never really cared about the opinions of others, least of all his, but this was different than before. As he said, this was the Prince's sworn Shield, not some random citizen on the streets or Kingsglaive member.

He shrugged, "I don't care, as long as it's not taking him away from his work, or yours."

She snorted, "Definitely no problems there," she relaxed, going back to her food.

Cor grunted approvingly, "Good. I need you focused."

"Focused on what?"

"The Peace Treaty, it's real. The King is going to accept."

"What?!" she snapped her head to look at him, utter shock on her face.

Cor crossed his arms, regarding her with his light blue eyes. His face was stern, as if he knew how she would react to this information, "There isn't any wiggle room. King Regis has to accept this, it's the only way."

"After all this fighting he's just going to roll over?"

"It's not like that, Cia. You said yourself he can't take another hit, he won't make it. He's only getting worse as the days go on."

The physician sighed, calming down her emotions. Cor was right, she knew that much, remembering how frail he was when she examined him and one of her expertise was treating magical ailments. It was the reason she was chosen as a combat medic, the reason she kept to medicine. There weren't many who had that clause in their field but she knew it was probably why Cor had come to collect her in order to perform that examination. Athenacia was the only one in the city that could see the magic.

"What do you need from me?" she asked, finishing the last of her food.

"I need you on standby. There's going to be a ceremony for the signing of the Peace Treaty. No one trusts the Niffs to keep their word and I might need all the hands I can get, that includes you."

"If they attack all these people are defenceless."

"I know, which is why I'll need your help."

"I'll need to be at the hospital doing triage."

"You might want to start moving your stable patients to another hospital, outside of Insomnia."

"You think it'll get that bad?"

"I don't know what to think. But you know I don't like taking chances."

Cor rose from his seat, walking toward the door with one last look at her. Athenacia shook out of her thoughts, shooting up so fast her stool fell over. The noise caused him to stop, turning to face her curiously. Anxiety bubbled within her as soon as she met his gaze. The Marshal hadn't seen that look in years, not since that fateful day she had come back from her last battle. He walked up to her and she nearly choked on her words.

"Those daemons..." she trailed.

"What about them?"

"Cor, they attacked the wall. They're the reason the Glaives were ordered to retreat."

"I know."

"You knew?!" her eyes widened.

He sighed, "Yeah, I did. How did you find out?"

"Not all the Glaives hate me. Where do you think they all went when they came back to the city?"

The Immortal grunted again. In truth, he didn't think she was working that day, that maybe she wouldn't hear about it. Wishful thinking. He put his hand on her bare shoulder, causing her to flinch out of her thoughts. Cor saw tears in her eyes, her bottom lip quivering slightly, her memories clouding her mind.

"That's not going to happen, Virum," he said sternly, "I'll knock you out myself."

Athenacia nodded, before letting out a small cry, tears streaming down her face. Cor growled, pulling her into an embrace. The girl sobbed into his chest, all her emotions that she held in from her constant nightmare just pouring out at him. The guilt ate away at her and he was the only one who understood what happened, why she was such a mess. He was one of the only people who believed her.

...

Dr. Virum pulled out her tablet, discharging her last patient. 48 year-old female, inability to urinate. Urinary tract infection. Easily treated, not so fun to live with. The girl walked over to the nurse's station, wearing navy scrubs and her lab coat. She was still a little under the weather from her actions the previous night but she needed to work, she had to distract her mind from everything that had happened in the last few hours. The treaty left her with mixed emotions and she wasn't exactly sure what it would mean for everyone in the city.

The doctor walked into a treatment room, sighing internally. Hard to forget about the proposed treaty with everyone using violence to try and prove their point. Tonight she was stitching up a lot of different bar fight wounds - and her shift was an evening shift, far too early for drinking. 24 year-old male, laceration to the left clavicle, multiple contusions, subconjunctival hemorrhage to the left eye, rib fracture, nasal fracture. Virum didn't even ask, just put on a pair of latex gloves and began to clean up his wound. When she was finished, she pulled out her surgical tools and proceeded her methodical suture routine. After she had expertly tied off her stitching, she fixed his nasal fracture, ignoring his cries of pain. The patient glared at her but she returned a look that dared him to try and protest. Writing a prescription, she threw her latex gloves in the trash and sanitized her hands before walking out of the room. The discharge process was started when she pulled out her tablet, looking around her waiting room and sighing. Her security guards had their hands full, most of it young Insomnians getting into fights with outsiders. Not all of them were Glaives and she was thankful that none of them had joined the fight. Virum sighed again, her eyes darting toward the clock. It wasn't quitting time just yet.

"I swear if another one of those punks cries to me about setting a broken bone I'll just break another one," said Tash as she came up to her station.

"I thought you were everyone's mom," replied Dr. Virum, though she was inclined to agree with the woman's statement.

"I had my kids, I'm done. I got enough on my plate just looking after you."

"I can take care of myself, thank you."

"Tell that to your sleep-deprived head. You think we don't notice your zombie look?"

"I'm not wearing zombie today. It's hangover."

"I thought your patient made it?"

"It wasn't that."

"The Treaty," said Tash knowingly.

"Wow, word travels fast around here."

"It's a little hard not to notice Niflheim presence within the city walls."

"Yeah, same with outside the walls," replied Virum dryly.

Tash shrugged, "I don't care what they decide. It won't change what happens here in this department."

Dr. Virum didn't say anything. Tash was right, treaty or not there would always be something to keep her mind off current events while she was at work. People were always going to need emergency medicine and she was foolish for forgetting that. Still, it meant a lot of changes to the world outside of the emergency department, a world that she was just starting to submerge herself back into. Sighing once more, she went back to her tablet, looking through outstanding patients and getting back to work.

25 year-old female, severed femur, multiple contusions. Bar fight, bone set and discharged. 29 year-old male, multiple rib fractures, contusions, lacerations and a severed ulna. Bar fight, stitched, set, discharged. 27 year-old male, nasal fracture, severed tibia, fracture femur, multiple contusions. Bar fight, set, discharged. That was her night. Boring old routine patching up and sending back into the world. Nothing she hadn't done when she was a Glaive out on the battlefield.

So when a woman came in who was nearly 20 weeks pregnant, Dr. Virum jumped at the occasion to treat someone different. The woman looked healthy enough, was only in for a routine check-up. The clinic where she usually went was full so she thought she would try her luck here. And lucky she was as she was one of few patients that didn't partake in a stupid fight over race. Honestly, before this loss on the wall things were mostly peaceful, but Dr. Virum suspected the treaty had a lot to do with this. People were just anxious about the coming days. The pregnant woman, Jewel Klyse, had a naturally pale complexion. Her hair was honey blond, done up in a half ponytail on top of her head, with perfect ringlets cascading in a tumbling mass that passed her shoulders and rested at her waist. The patient didn't wear makeup but her hands were well manicured, vibrant red gel nails plastered over top her real fingernails. She was quite tall and fit for someone as far along as she was. Pregnancy worked well for her.

Virum took a note of the patient's vitals. 26 year-old female, 20 weeks pregnant. No concerning symptoms, routine check-up and the doctor was happy to do it. Pulling on her stethoscope and checking the heart rate of the woman, she frowned slightly when she put the scope to the woman's swelling womb. It was then she checked the blood pressure, satisfied that everything was looking normal. Pulling up the machine, she took her wand, applied the jelly on Jewel's womb and ran it to get a good a better look. The physician frowned at the image before her. She could see Jewel start to choke up at seeing her baby but Virum's heart was heavy.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Jewel.

Dr. Virum looked at the woman sadly, her hazel eyes filled with regret, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"Your baby... it has no heartbeat."

"What?!" Jewel's eyes were bulging at those words, looking towards the monitor, her bright green eyes filling with tears, "How can that be?"

"The cord has wrapped around the neck. It caused suffocation, and the heart stopped."

"No!"

"I'm so sorry for your loss," said Dr. Virum sincerely.

Jewel let out a cry, her hands coming to her face. Virum looked on sadly, taking the wand off of the woman's swollen womb and routinely cleaned off the jelly while the patient cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her wails filled the doctor's ears and she kept herself as composed as possible, taking off her latex gloves and sanitizing her hands once more. They wanted to quiver as she grabbed her tablet, punching in buttons and dismissing her own tears she felt. Virum looked back at her patient who was still sobbing into her hands, her tear streaked face looking towards the now blank monitor and then again at where her baby was growing.

"How could this have happened?" she whimpered.

"There's no way you could have known. There's nothing you could have done," replied Dr. Virum gently, hugging her tablet to her chest.

"I just had the names picked out."

That broke her heart even more, "I've scheduled you for a dilation and curettage, a D and C. They'll be here to take you up to the operation room in an hour."

Jewel just looked at her helplessly, fresh tears falling down her face.

"Is there someone we can call?"

It took her a moment to answer. Dr. Virum grabbed a box of tissues, placing it on the woman's bed. Jewel grabbed a couple wiping her face. She finally nodded, taking in a shuddering breath.

"My husband, I... I'll call him," she answered almost breathlessly.

"I'll let the nurses know. Again I'm so sorry for your loss."

Jewel just nodded at the young doctor before she went back to crying. Virum's arms dropped down to her womb, an action she hardly took notice of. With a heavy heart, she walked back to the nurse's station, catching the eye of Tash. The older resident nurse looked at her own tablet and then at her friend with a sympathetic look. She placed a caring hand on Dr. Virum's shoulder, barely seeing the eye of the woman.

"I'm clocking out," said Athenacia, "Call a doctor from upstairs for the next half hour."

"You do what you have to do," said Tash, nodding at her, "We can handle things."

The girl nodded, her hazel eyes distant as she walked towards the locker room.


	17. Hide and Seek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your kind words, kudos and for reading. You're all awesome!

Athenacia's drive home was uneventful. She didn't even change out of her bloodied scrubs or lab coat, just grabbed her things and went straight to her car. It didn't want to start after sitting for so long so she jolted the battery with her borrowed magic and took off. Her head was far from her reality, hearing nothing but that crying woman, Jewel, in her ears. The image of the deceased fetus obscured her vision, the cord wrapped around its tiny neck. The doctor gripped her steering wheel hard, knuckles pure white as she felt tears well in her eyes once more. A quivering breath escaped her, sniffing as she willed them not to fall.

The physician parked her car in her assigned spot, walking toward the elevator. It was taking too long to get to her so she instead walked up the steps. The echoing of her shoes filled her ears instead of a sad woman's wails and she took in another deep breath as she reached her floor, her heart pounding in her chest. She was out of shape. Athenacia fumbled with her keys as she opened the door to the hallway on her floor, not having to walk far to 708. As it turned out, the door was unlocked and she barged in, kicking her shoes anywhere, dropping her purse on the ground. Her jacket was discarded forcefully and she wiped a tear from her eye. The girl walked into the kitchen, ignoring her fridge full of beer and opening the cupboard above it. The lack of height made it so she couldn't exactly reach so she had to climb onto the small counter between the fridge and the stove in order to get up there, pulling out a big bottle of dark coloured alcohol. Athenacia jumped down, clutching the bottle and cracked it open, taking a long drink, letting it burn down her throat as she wiped another tear from her eye. Sighing heavily, she took a smaller drink before placing her bottle on the breakfast nook. Once more before she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

_You got a head start._

Gladiolus had messaged her. Athenacia smiled, her eyes scanning the letters on the screen. Seeing his name pulled her out of the depressing cycle she entered and restored the light to her eyes. He was the perfect distraction right now.

_Where oh where could I be?_

The girl put the phone down, knowing that he would come here next. Her eyes widened slightly, very aware that she had blood all over her. Athenacia darted into her bathroom, removing her clothes swiftly and taking the quickest shower of her life. She left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her and took another drink from her bottle, picking up her phone beside it and checking her messages again.

_I'll give you another 20 minutes._

That was ten minutes ago, meaning he was on his way here. Taking one big, long drink, she ran back into her bathroom, discarded her towel on the floor and began to quickly blow dry her hair. Lucky for her it was short and didn't take long. When it was finished, she scurried into her bedroom, straight to the closet and hastily looked through her clothes. What she landed on was a long flowing white skirt with lace on the trim, that hung down to mid-calf. Athenacia then pulled on a light pink tank top and that thin black sweater that was low cut. Once her jewelry was replaced, she came back to check her phone.

_Time's up._

The girl let out a small chuckle, taking another large drink and grunting at the burn down her throat. Holding her phone in both hands, she composed her reply.

_Catch me if you can._

Keeping a smirk on her face, she pulled on her purse before taking one last drink and then went to find some shoes. Her heart was hammering in her chest, having no idea when Gladiolus would be approaching her door. Athenacia threw around her shoes until she found the ones she was looking for. With a slightly elevated heel, she slipped her feet into tan sandals that stayed on her feet with the strap in between her big toe and the one beside it. Grabbing the keys to her apartment, she shut the door quickly but there was no time to lock it, the elevator door chiming as it opened down the hall behind her.

"Hey!" she heard Gladiolus behind her.

Athenacia turned to look, a smile on her face as she disappeared behind the door to the stairwell. Gladio also wore a grin as he increased his pace and she took off down the stairs, taking them two or three at a time. Once she reached the fourth floor she heard the door open above her.

"I see you, Doc!" he called down to her.

The physician reached the third floor and went into that hallway, bolting down it. Athenacia pushed the button for the elevator on her way and kept running toward the other door to the stairway. Again she began her descent, exiting on the second floor of the parking garage. Quick indecision led her to the other side of the lot, taking the cement stairs to the bottom of the building and out into the open air. The buzzing of her phone distracted her momentarily, ignored the message and keeping to the shadows, creeping toward the front of the building.

_I can still see you._

Athenacia smiled, taking another quick look around and biting her lip, listening for the sound of his footsteps.

_Mistaken identity._

Phone in hand, she made sure the sound was completely off before blending in with people on the street. Years ago she was able to move without detection and utilized those skills to make her way to the park, keeping an eye on her back and trying to stay out of the street lights the way she was once taught. In retrospect, she probably shouldn't have worn white but then, she didn't really plan on playing hide and seek with him either. The girl stumbled slightly, the adrenaline of her chase starting to wear off. Once she entered the park she strayed from the cement trail, staying out of the light.

_You can't hide from me._

Well, it seemed that she was going to have to prove Mr. Amicitia wrong. That same smile still plastered on her face, she walked at a normal pace past other people that were enjoying the warm night air. Athenacia kept her senses on her surroundings, anticipation rising. Things were quieter in the park and she had absolutely no idea where he could be, how far behind her he was.

_You're quite slow._

The doctor taunted him, facial muscles sore from smiling at her phone screen. Athenacia changed direction and kept an eye out, a death grip on her phone. The light turned on, showing that she had another message. Pulling herself against a tree she checked it, letting out a small laugh.

_Look behind you._

Her hazel eyes scanned the area, her back against the tree. Taking a quick peek behind her, she walked back the way she came and changed directions again. There was another cluster of trees and she quickly scurried to them, taking cover and keeping an eye out. There was no sign of him but her phone lit up again.

_Boo._

Athenacia squealed when she felt a hand engulf her left forearm, jumping away from the trees. Erupting with laughter, she took off away from him - only to find that he was much bigger and much faster than she was, allowing him to catch up with her in no time. Another cry escaped her as he quickly swept her off her feet. Kicking the air in protest, she was still in a fit of giggles while keeping a firm grip on her phone. Gladio had his own grin on his face, his arm around her shoulders and held her firmly to his chest. With her movements, he held her knees together tighter and eventually she stopped her resisting, laughing so hard her stomach was starting to hurt from clenching the muscles.

"Hey Doc," he greeted her, laughing with her.

"Hi," she responded, chuckling despite her face hurting.

"Looks like I win."

"This time maybe. You can put me down now."

"You gonna run if I do?" he raised a brow.

"Only one way to find out," she offered him a smile, a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes.

The Shield smirked but lowered her legs to the ground anyway. Athenacia took in a deep breath, composing herself. Then she pushed him slightly and took off the other way. Gladio let out a small huff, closing their gap and wrapping his massive arms around her, pulling her back into his chest. The girl was in another fit of giggles as her arms were restrained against her own chest in his embrace. Her laughing subsided as she turned to face him, looking up into his amber gaze. There was amusement there but he kept his arms around her. Athenacia reached up, pulling him down for a kiss, something he willingly gave into.

Gladiolus could taste the alcohol on her breath but chose not to comment on it. Both Tash and Gin were at her work when he had stopped there earlier to pick her up before her shift was over. The older nurse only mentioned a rough night before she left, but Gin told him how bad it was and why the doctor had left a little early. Although he wasn't sure exactly what a D and C was, he did note a very sad pregnant woman leaving one of the rooms in a wheelchair pushed by her husband and heading toward the staff elevator. The large man could only assume the worst. Gladio kissed her again, not lingering nearly as long while her arms dropped from his neck and feet fell flat again. His grip upon her loosened but he kept one of her small hands within his own as they began to walk back toward the cement path. It was late, there weren't many people out but that suited them just fine, this being one of the nicer nights here in the city. Absently they were making their way towards the larger pond as they walked, Athenacia feeling much better about the end of her shift than when she started. Her body was protesting her physical activity but it also felt cleansing in a way.

"You were a bit slow getting to my work," said Athenacia, smiling slightly.

Gladio let out a small laugh, "My sister was insisting on coming with me."

"What? Why?"

"She's starting to bug me about meeting you," he shrugged, "Something about another female around the house."

Athenacia looked a little shocked to hear that, "I guess it wouldn't be easy sharing a house with you."

He grunted, "You'd get along great," he replied dryly.

"How old is she?"

"15."

"I wouldn't even know what to do with her. We're 10 years apart, she's just a child."

"You were pretty childish a few minutes ago," he teased.

Her face took a shade of red that was obscured by the light, "Don't even act like you didn't enjoy it," she scoffed, trying to compose herself.

The Shield only grinned at her, pulling her in for a quick kiss while they walked. They were silent for a moment, Gladiolus's face turning into a thoughtful frown as they kept on their path. He wasn't sure where to begin.

"Listen, Doc, I gotta tell you something," said the large man once they had reached the pond.

His voice had more of a serious note to it, and it perked her interest.

"Is everything okay?" she cocked her head slightly towards him.

His gaze met hers briefly, "Yeah," he replied quickly, relieving the worry that took over her face.

"What's going on?"

"I'm going to be leaving the city soon."

"How soon?"

"Two days."

"That's very soon," she raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah," he sighed, "Part of the Treaty says that the Prince has to marry the Oracle."

"A symbol of the peace," she understood those implications.

"Right. The wedding is going to be in Altissia-"

"And as the sworn Shield, you need to go with him," she smiled, trying to assure him that it was okay.

"Yeah. That's it exactly. Me, Prince Noctis, Iggy and Prompto are escorting him there."

She frowned, "That's a small escort."

"Those were the orders."

The girl shrugged, "Smaller groups move faster."

"That's what Iggy said."

"Well, he's obviously your brains. I'm actually jealous, Altissia is rumoured to be the most beautiful city in the world. The closest I've been is Gladin Quay."

"That's where we catch the ferry."

"You'll like it, the seaside and the stars..." she smiled brightly at him.

"Be better if you came."

"I can't leave, this city is a mess. The treaty has all kinds of small riots breaking out and I have to fix them all up and send them back out in a vicious cycle."

"Maybe it'll calm down after the ceremony."

"I doubt that. Everyone is on edge about the surrender."

He shrugged, "They'll get over it. Not like they have to go live with the Niffs."

Athenacia frowned, looking at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Insomnia stays apart of Lucis, and they're all here now."

"And they're just supposed to 'get over it'?" she took her hand from his balling it into a fist at her side, "How does one 'get over' losing their home?"

The Shield narrowed his eyes in thought, "You're not from Insomnia," he stated

"No I'm not, and I thought you knew that."

"Where are you from?"

"Galahd."

"You said Cor picked you out of an orphanage."

"Yeah and how do you think I got there?!" she was becoming angry now.

Gladiolus opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He had no idea, she had never spoken about her past. It was something that upset her a lot and he didn't want to bring it up. So she was against the peace in the rest of Eos?

"You don't want the treaty," he stated suspiciously.

"It's not that, Gladio! But for years and years we fought for the King! He came to us after we lost our homes and promised us that he would help us get them back if we fought for him. So we did, and many of us died from all over the world. But we kept going because we believed in him and now he's going back on that promise, giving our homes to the enemy," she explained, an angry frown occupying her face.

The large man didn't know what to say. He trusted that the King was making the right choice, trusted what his father had told him. This was supposed to be a good thing, end the war and the suffering and allow people the peace they finally deserved. Yet, she was upset about it and he started to wonder how many others shared her view. Gladio was so focused on the mission his father had given him he didn't really consider how others in the town would react to the news.

"I knew this was a mistake," she sighed heavily, bringing him out of her thoughts, "We shouldn't have come this far, I should have just kept my distance. I'm sorry, Gladio, have a safe journey and I hope I'm wrong and everything works out for the best."

"Doc, wait!" he called angrily as she began to turn her back.

"What?"

"You can't just quit like that!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"You can't keep running away!"

Athenacia scowled at him, "You just don't get it Gladio, and you never will! You're Amicitia, you're sworn to Caelum, it's been like that for generations. And there's nothing wrong with that, I'm happy you take pride in your work, but you'll never know what it's like for me and the other outsiders! And you never will because after you return, your home will be safe! You've never had the Empire invade your home and burn it to the ground, forcing you to leave. So maybe it happened when I was young, but I still had hopes of going to see it one day, Niflheim free. You're lucky that will never happen to you and I sincerely hope that it doesn't. But don't sit there and accuse me of running away when you have no idea what you're talking about!" she shouted, turning before he could say anything else to her.

Gladiolus watched her go, anger bubbling within him. His own fists were clenched at his side and he let out an angry breath before leaving the sight, going to blow off some steam.

The physician didn't even look back, fuming at his insensitivity. What did he know anyway? The man grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, born into the right kind of family. And they kept him, some people aren't that lucky. Athenacia slammed the door to her apartment, kicking off her shoes violently and dropping her purse on the ground. Grabbing the open bottle off her breakfast nook, she downed the contents in mere seconds, keeping her death glare on her face. Tossing it aside and hearing the glass shatter all over her floor, she went to the same spot for another, wasting no time in cracking it open and consuming more. Maybe she went a little overboard, but with the treaty, her nightmares, her last patient and his words, she couldn't help but explode. All she had now was this dark amber liquid that stopped burning her throat the more the drunk.

...

Cor Leonis had a scowl on his face as he left the Citadel. The man did not like being ignored, nor did he enjoy having to chase down people. The Marshal was far too busy getting Prompto Argentum ready for the journey to Altissia, so having to leave was a big waste of his time. Pulling up his car to the front of the building, he left it parked there, having no intention of staying here long - something reinforced by his heavy footsteps toward the entrance. Cor rode the elevator to the seventh floor, getting out and walking down the hallway, stopping at 708. The Immortal went to open the door, but this time it was locked. Growling, he used excessive force, breaking it and bursting inside. Honestly, the one time she decides to lock the door.

The Marshal avoided the obstacle of shoes right in the doorway, not even bothering to close the door and walked down the hallway toward her main living room. There was broken glass all over the floor, bloodied scrubs, her purse, and shoes all over the place. Beer bottles and two liquor bottles lined up all over the tables and counters, some of them broken, garbage left over from his visit yesterday morning, and another pizza box with bites taken out of the last pieces thrown on the couch. This was a drastic change from 24 hours ago. Cor walked to the bedroom, noting a pile of vomit just before the kitchen entrance. Another growl had erupted from his throat when he came to her bathroom. Shoes were thrown aside, keys part of the potential tripping hazard. More bloodied scrubs, probably the other piece from the living room, vomit in three places, including sliding down the toilet and a cellular phone over near the bathtub. The biggest thing on the floor was Athenacia Virum, vomit running down her face as she was completely passed out beside a pile not too far from her head. One of her hands was in it but the other was carefully kept behind her back so she wouldn't roll into it.

"Virum!" he shouted at her.

Athenacia remained unresponsive and he carefully walked into the room. Cor grabbed her arm, yanking her off the ground.

"Get up!" he barked at her.

The girl opened her eyes groggily, rubbing her face with her clean hand and trying to comprehend what was going on around her. The Marshal pulled her to her feet and she gasped at the movement, leaning over and vomiting as close to the toilet bowl as possible. Wiping her face again, Cor kept a firm grip on her arm, still wearing his scowl. Her bloodshot hazel eyes were glossed over as they came to squint on his face. There was a bruise on her other arm, probably from stumbling around her house. Athenacia grunted, trying to keep down whatever wanted to come up from her stomach.

"Cor?" she finally focused on him, "What are you doing here?"

The older man let go of her arm and she stumbled, almost tripping over her own feet. Cor sighed heavily; she was still drunk.

"How much did you drink?"

"Obviously not enough because you're still annoying me," she replied, turning on the faucet in her sink and washing the dried bile off her hands.

"You don't answer your phone anymore?"

"I don't even know where the damn thing is."

"Ready to take a bath," replied Cor, walking over and picking it up.

Athenacia dried off her hands, running one of them through her hair and turning to face him.

"Good riddance," she muttered, taking her phone from him.

"This needs to stop."

"Spare me your lecture," she grumbled, pushing past him and walking out of the room.

"You've got glass everywhere," he warned as he followed her.

"Oh well," she shrugged, stumbling a little into her kitchen.

The doctor opened her fridge, deciding on taking another beer. Cor grabbed it from her instantly and she glared at him.

"I mean it Virum, it stops. Today."

"Don't you have royalty to protect?!" she retorted, unhappy about him bursting into her life like this.

"Yeah, and you're wasting my time!"

"You know where the door is!"

"Cut your shit, Virum, I need you sober!" he barked at her, taking another drink she pulled from her counter.

"You wanna fight me Cor?!" she pushed his shoulder, trying to get him away from her personal space.

"Watch it," he warned darkly, narrowing his eyes.

Athenacia growled, picking up an empty bottle and throwing it passed his head. It shattered upon impact, her blind rage matching the stare he was giving her. The girl went to throw the first punch, not even thinking clearly as she did so. Cor grabbed her wrist, anticipating the next one and grabbing that wrist as well. The Marshal knew her next instinct would be to headbutt so he quickly turned her away from him and held her tightly to his chest, one arm over her shoulder to keep her head in place. He then swiftly pushed on the back of her leg to force her down to her knees and used the weight of his body to keep her in place. A shin was pressed against the back of her legs, to stop her from trying to kick him. Athenacia was struggling but there was nowhere for her to go, he had her perfectly restrained and her body vibrating as it snarled in protest.

The physician was breathing heavily when he felt her resistance begin to die down. Cor waited until she had returned to a much calmer demeanour before releasing her and helping her to her feet. Athenacia was still flushed, still drunk, but from the looks of things, she was lucky she didn't have alcohol poisoning. The Marshal left her in the kitchen, defeated, as he carefully walked into the bathroom. He ran the cold water from her shower and went back to grab her. Her eyes were on her feet and he guided her back towards her bathroom. Cor pushed her back to her knees and grabbed the hose, running the cold water over her head. Athenacia hissed as it reached her, but finally, she was starting to clear her head. Groaning, she moved her head, freezing as her hair was completely soaked. The girl wrung out her hair while Cor turned the water off. Standing up slowly, she no longer feeling drunk and hungover at the same time. Grabbing a towel, she let out a small sigh, absently drying her hair and turning to face him again. There was an apologetic look on her face, though her pride wouldn't let her actually say the words. The Marshal simply nodded at her, leaving the room. When she finished towel drying her hair, she hung it around her neck, not even bothering to run a brush through it.

Athenacia was careful not to step on any of the visible pieces of broken glass as she walked back out toward her living room. Cor started packing whatever forms of alcohol she had left into a box he found, still with a scowl on his face but she didn't stop him, knowing that it would do her no good. The girl grabbed her phone that was on the counter, checking her messages. There were four from him, her phone still on silent from last night. Athenacia groaned, turning off the screen and putting it back down.

"I can't spare too many ambos, but transit vans would probably do the trick for the more stable patients," she spoke, watching him work.

"How many do you need?" he asked, the original question he had sent her in a message.

"I don't know yet. I have to go in today, I'll figure it out and get back to you."

Cor grunted, finishing his work and holding the box. The bottles clinked with his movements.

"I'll send some your way when I get back. Worry about your critical patients that need extended care and then we'll start on the non-emergency transfers."

She nodded at him, "They all going to Lestallum?"

"It's the only place they'll stand a chance. They're the next best hospital."

"It's a long a way to go. Some of them might not make it."

"That's your call, Virum."

The Marshal walked towards the foyer and she followed him, watching as he left. Cor turned just before he walked down the hallway, facing her again.

"I mean it Virum, sober," he commanded.

"Aye Captain," replied Athenacia sardonically, raising a brow and giving him a mock salute.


	18. Bad Omen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos, comments and for reading!

Cor was not impressed with Athenacia's mocking of him, but he knew that was probably the best he was going to get out of her now that she was mostly coherent. The man grunted as he pushed past someone that was coming up to her door.

"Scientia," she heard Cor in the hallway.

"Marshal," she heard the unmistakable voice of Ignis returning his greeting.

Frowning, she walked toward her door and nearly bumped into the young man in question. That wasn't what caught her immediate attention once she reached the hallway. Athenacia saw Cor's retreating back down the corridor, stopping at the elevator and getting ready to push the button.

"What about my door?!" she demanded of him.

"I'll send someone to fix it," he responded, stepping inside of the elevator and out of sight.

The small woman growled, walking past Ignis and punching her open door as she passed it. The Adviser stood in the frame and waited patiently, trying to keep his face passive at the sight before him. Dr. Virum had vomit on her pink tank top and white long flowing skirt. Her foot was bleeding, leaving a trail of crimson behind her, hair wet, still dripping somewhat and there was a towel around her neck. The foyer was littered with shoes and broken glass, probably the reason her foot was bleeding. Hazel hues were still bloodshot, donning the dark circles beneath them as per usual.

"Can I help you?" she asked shortly, looking at him annoyed.

"Indeed, though I was hoping to catch you at a better time," replied Ignis calmly.

"Why are you just standing at the door?"

"I was awaiting an invitation."

"What for? Just barge right in, everyone else does!" she threw her hands up in frustration, pounding her feet into the kitchen.

"I hope you don't mind me keeping my shoes on," he spoke as he carefully stepped inside.

"Not at all," she was a bit calmer, sighing as she opened her fridge.

Cor had really cleaned her out, she was lucky that there was one water bottle left. Athenacia grabbed it, twisting off the lid and taking a long drink before looking over at her unexpected guest curiously.

"What brings you my way?" she asked, her voice back to a much more passive tone.

"Well, while tidying your home I encountered some of your more advanced medical texts on your bookshelf. I was hoping you might loan them to me for my upcoming journey," said Ignis politely.

She shrugged, "Knock yourself out," she gestured towards the shelf, "Just watch your step."

The man nodded at her, disappearing from her sight. Athenacia could hear the crunch of his feet on the glass surrounding her floor, causing her to cringe and look down at her own bare feet. There was a blood trail and she groaned at having not noticed earlier that she stepped on her own mess. Taking another drink, she walked out of the kitchen, down the hall toward her laundry room and grabbed her first aid kit. Upon reaching the couch, she pulled her foot to her and began removing the small shards of glass that embedded themselves in her skin. Athenacia could feel Ignis's eyes on her as she worked, wincing at some of the bigger pieces. Once that was finished, she opened the kit, cleaning up the blood and then beginning the same process on her other foot. Luckily there was only one or two that really needed bandaging, nothing that required stitches. Sighing, she closed the kit and then looked around in hopes that she had thrown some shoes around in her angry stupor. Now that things had calmed down, she felt a little silly about the outburst she had last night. Athenacia was a right mess, deciding she would go to work early and just live there for the rest of her life.

"Could you hand me some shoes please?" she asked Ignis politely, who had placed a sizable stack of books into his bag.

"Certainly," he sounded happy to finally be needed it seemed, "Which ones? You have quite a few."

"I honestly don't even care. Something thick enough to repel the glass."

Athenacia heard him rummage through the closet near her open doorway, the crunching of his shoes as he approached her and she looked to see him holding the black wedges she had worn out a couple nights ago. Smiling in thanks, she carefully slipped them on before rising from her seat and walking toward her breakfast nook, grabbing her phone and checking it. There were no new messages and she supposed she should have seen that coming. Why would Gladiolus text after last night anyway? Sighing, she took a quick look at her nearly bare bookshelf, raising a brow.

"You nearly cleaned me out," she said to Ignis, who was looking at her expectantly.

"Apologies, this journey is quite impromptu and I've not the necessary time to gather all my information," he replied gently.

"Fair enough."

"I truly hope you are content parting with them."

"Go ahead, I read them all a million times anyway. It's not like you'll be gone forever."

"Indeed. You have my thanks," he nodded at her, turning to leave. Athenacia followed him, hoping that her door would close after the damage. Ignis stopped just as he stepped from her apartment and into the hallway, turning to face her, "Dr. Virum."

"Yes," she smiled as she stood at the door, sensing she wasn't going to like this.

"If I may-"

"If it's about Gladio then no, you may not," she crossed her arms.

"Please, allow me a word."

"Fine," she sighed, "But only because you cleaned up my mess and whatever you have to say probably won't change anything."

"Gladio does not do well expressing his concerns. Something it appears the two of you have in common."

She waited, still in her defensive stance, "Is that it?"

The man sighed, "It appears so. I do hope you'll shed him some light before we depart."

"Safe journey, Ignis," she said, slamming the door in his face.

It didn't go as planned, the door simply smashed against the frame and began to open up again. Athenacia was halfway down her hallway before she turned around, hearing it slowly creek open. Groaning, she looked up at her ceiling as she did so before she threw her hands up in frustration, cursing Cor the Immortal before stomping out of sight. Ignis politely reached for the door and slowly pulled it as shut as it would go, given the damage. With one last look back he turned toward the elevator, walking down the hallway and away from the angry doctor.

...

A violent rain of debris flew around the city of Insomnia. The sky was it's normal angry red, the raging wind bringing nothing but devastation with it. She was running with tears streaming down her cheeks as the screams of civilians filled her ears. Buildings were crumbling as the giant red-eyed daemon tore through its path in order to get to her. Her feet kept moving despite it gaining on her. A shadow appeared beneath her as that large purple tentacle reached for her. She lunged away but it had managed to knock her off of her feet. Gasping she quickly got up and unsheathed her weapon, her hand shaking. The oncoming attack missed but the other one struck, sweeping in from her unarmed side. It struck her and she saw the building across the street coming for her.

Dr. Virum shook awake before the impact, drawing in a sharp breath before putting her hand to her head. Eyes darted to the clock, her official shift over an hour ago. She didn't leave though, she had come to the lounge to catch a quick nap. There was no time to leave, she had to take an inventory of patients and start shipping them out. Virum wasn't sure if this was drastic or not but Cor insisted that she did so and he would know more than she would about the next few days. Sighing, she got up from the couch instantly and walked into the bathroom. The doctor washed her hands when she finished, leaning over the counter and having a look at herself. Dark purple scrubs contrasted beneath her white lab coat, hair done up in that high ponytail and hanging down slightly while a bunch of it didn't quite stay in. Makeup caked her face, not wanting her haggard appearance to show even though most of her staff could see through it. Taking another quick breath, she exited the room and walked back toward the floor, heading for the nurse's station. Dr. Virum was happy to see that her first round of patients had made it to Lestallum, the drivers coming back reporting to Tash. Virum just sent them home for the night, not willing to risk them going out again with the daemons. Taking out her tablet, she went through the patients all marked with red, meaning critical. Chewing her lip, she assessed the stability of them and then scheduled them for the trip to Lestallum first light tomorrow. Tash was going through the non-emergency patients, a huge help in this trying time.

Since Dr. Brette was in for the night, Dr. Virum was able to focus more on her evacuation. The woman pulled her phone out, observing the screen a moment. Still nothing, she had no messages waiting. The tablet was placed on the desk before her, continuing to stare at the wallpaper on her phone screen. It buzzed in her hands and her attention snapped right to it - only to be disappointed that it was Cor, asking for an update. Virum didn't know why she expected Gladiolus to text her at all, she was the one who did the walking away. Maybe she was just so used to him chasing her she figured he would keep doing it. But she was wrong and stupid for thinking like that. The physician replied to Cor swiftly, shaking off her thoughts and going back to her work. She couldn't, a frown occupying her face as she thought about her ex and his companions. They were going on their journey tomorrow, leaving at an undetermined time. Athenacia felt guilty for exploding at him the way she did last night. There were so many obstacles in that relationship maybe this truly was the path destined for it. The universe itself was telling her that it just wasn't meant to be. Her hands absently went to her womb, remembering how so many things in her life just weren't meant to be. She was just stuck here, going through the motions until she died. So be it.

Virum put her phone in her pocket and went back to her tablet. The number of patients in this hospital was astounding and she had access to every single one being the assistant manager of the emergency department. It was she came across the terminal patients and her heart was heavy. There was nothing she could do for them, they would be stuck here to endure whatever happened to them. Dr. Virum hated having to choose lives over others. It was unfair and the worst part of her job, however, she had no choice but to do it. At least on this digital print, she didn't know who they were, didn't care for them on a daily basis. It was an ugly way to think, but she was sure it was the only saving grace she could pull out of her situation.

...

Gladiolus was in a very foul mood. He was breathing heavily, the sun beating down on him in the middle of the desert as he sat against the Regalia, King Regis's car. Sweat poured down his forehead, extending down his entire body. It was lucky he hadn't closed his shirt or he was sure it would have absorbed all the moisture. He contemplating taking off the open shirt but thought better of it. So far, the beginning of their journey was not off to a good start. Taking a long drink of water, he poured some of it on his head and wishing there was a breeze.

Prompto was on the ground like a starfish, exhausted as well. Ignis leaned against the car and beside him was Prince Noctis, also on the ground sitting against the car. Not long onto the open road and the car had given out on them. The next stop, Hammerhead, was still a long way off and they had been pushing, alternating at the wheel while they did so. However it was only getting hotter out and the efforts used were starting to wear down on each of them. Grunting, Gladiolus rose from where he stood, deciding that resting was over. Ignis went back to the driver's seat, silently agreeing with him. They weren't going to get anywhere just sitting around. A car was coming toward them in the distance and he almost prayed that this one would stop for them. The Shield waved his arms up, trying to flag them down but they drove past them without batting an eye it seemed.

"I think we can forget about hitching our way there. Thought people were friendly outside the city," grumbled Gladiolus, walking toward Ignis and leaning on against the car.

"You can only go so far on the kindness of strangers," said Ignis in his calm demeanour.

Gladio grunted, "Just gonna have to push her all the way."

"I've already pushed myself to the brink of death," whined Prompto from the ground.

"Oh get up!" barked the large man walking to the rear of the car and kicking his foot, "Come on, car isn't gonna move itself."

Both Prompto and the Prince rose from the ground, each of them grumbling at the Shield and his overly nasty attitude the last day or so.

"I thought the car was supposed to move us," complained Prompto as he walked towards the passenger mirror.

"Wouldn't that be nice," said Noctis dryly, taking his place on the driver's side mirror.

"Can it!" the Shield was sick of their whining, "Ready..." both young men positioned themselves, "Steady..." He placed his massive hands on the trunk of the Regalia, "Push!" he instructed, using his legs as leverage and beginning to push the heavy thing.

It started to roll on its wheels, Gladiolus sure that it wouldn't be nearly as heavy without all the crap they had taken with them. Most of his packing was camping supplies, hardly anything personal. The Shield was in a very sour mood and Ignis's pointed looks were not helping him whatsoever. If the man had something to say he should just say it and stop dancing around like an idiot.

"Un-Believable," grumbled Noctis.

"Not exactly a fairy tale beginning huh, Prince Noctis?" Gladio grunted as he pushed.

In fact, this entire thing had been anything but a fairy tale. After his fight with Athenacia a couple of nights ago he hadn't the time to even process whether or not he was even still seeing her. His father had him completely occupied, getting everything ready for this journey and as much training as possible. Then he had to pack up his things and went out for dinner the night before with his family while avoiding questions from Iris about his lady friend. It was worse when he had come to Noctis's apartment to help Ignis pack it up and he couldn't even focus on his game most of the night. Gladio was angry the doctor hadn't even tried to message him once since the other night. It wasn't like he was the one who took her home away from her - he didn't even know she was from Galahd, let alone that she wanted to go back there. Nothing went according to plan at all that night. The Shield wanted to see her before he left but if she couldn't be bothered to reach out to him then he wasn't going to waste his time chasing her down. They were past the point of childish games, if she wasn't going to be an adult then so be it. But that didn't make him happy, something the others had noticed instantly.

"We let ourselves get carried away," said Ignis.

"Look, these things happen," said Prompto.

"Let's just hope this isn't some omen," said Gladiolus, not liking the warning signs he was picking up on since the other night.

"Gladio, do me a favour," said Noctis.

"What?"

"Push this thing by yourself!" Noctis was getting a little tired of his Shield's projected crappy attitude.

That only made him angrier, "All by myself?!"

"You won't even notice we just let go," said Prompto lightly, picking up on the tension.

"Prompto don't even think about it!"

"Save some breath for pushing," said Ignis annoyed, not wanting them to keep poking at Gladiolus.

"Ignis come on, time to switch!" said Noctis desperately.

"Nuh uh! We just switched back there!" grunted Gladiolus.

"And it's my turn, Noct," whined Prompto.

"His 'turn'?" inquired Ignis.

"My hands are killing me."

"You rather I kill you with mine?" asked Gladio, ready to release his wrath upon any of them at this point.

"Easy there, tough guy," said Prompto, definitely not wanting to be on the receiving end of that anger.

"Any luck?" asked Noctis.

"Only a busy signal," replied Ignis.

"Hold the phone... Is it just me or was it supposed to be way closer?" asked Prompto.

"I assure you the map is correct," said Ignis.

"The map said Hammerhead was right there," said Noctis, gesturing his head off a ways.

"Literally next door," agreed Prompto.

"Looks that way on a map of the world," grumbled Gladiolus.

"The world is a big old place..." trailed Noctis.

"Filled with wonders," said Ignis.

The man wasn't wrong, Gladio only wondering how the rest of this trip was going to with all the blocks thrown his way.

...

They had long since made their way to Hammerhead, meeting up with the grease monkey granddaughter that owned the garage, Cindy. The Shield kept his distance from her, unwilling to trip in Prompto's drool over the young lady. The mechanic was extremely upset with that condition of the Regalia, taking it in right away to get to work on it. They met Cid shortly after and he seemed pretty unimpressed with all four of them - though Gladiolus got the impression that the old man was naturally a sour sort of person.

It had taken them the entire day to push the car to Hammerhead and their funds were low with the repairs to the Regalia. Noctis had managed to get a loan from Cindy but it would appear that Cid had other ideas for them. There was a pest problem in the area and she asked if they could clear it out. Ignis assured her they would get a fresh start in the morning, renting a trailer near the diner for the night. Gladiolus was carrying a few of their bags from the trunk, as well as Ignis while the other two were sitting at the plastic outdoor furniture on their phones. The Shield looked on disapprovingly, not going to put up with that kind of slack when they had to camp. They were lucky that there wasn't anything to do with the trailer but was still unimpressed with their lack of effort to gather their own things. The two Crownsguard placed the bags inside of the trailer, and Ignis made quick work of going through his stores to begin making their meal. Gladiolus grunted, putting down a particularly heavy bag that belonged to Ignis. Prompto and Noctis had come inside, the young gunman walking toward where the Shield had placed his bags. He grunted as he lifted that large bag that was placed on top of his clothes.

"Geeze, Iggy, what's in here? Your bricks?" asked Prompto, finally pulling out his bag from beneath it.

"Books, actually," replied Ignis.

"What kind of books?" asked Noctis, opening it up and taking a look.

"A various degree of diversity."

"I don't even think these are real words."

Gladiolus peeked over at the title of the book Noctis had in his hand.  _Autoimmune Diseases._ The large man frowned, knowing he had heard that word before. It was definitely a medical condition but why would Ignis pack that? Noctis placed the book down, pulling out another one and frowning at it. He placed that book on top of the other and reached in again.

"Ow," cried the Prince annoyed, pulling his hand back quickly and taking a look.

"What's up?" asked Prompto.

The royal brought his hand up to his face, narrowing his eyes as he took a look, "There's a piece of glass in my hand. Did you know there was broken glass in there?"

Ignis sighed, "Apologies, must have picked it up at the source."

"I got it," said Gladiolus annoyed, rummaging through another bag looking for the first aid kit.

The Shield sat at the table, placing the box on beside him while Noctis sat across from him. The Prince offered his hand to Gladio, who turned on the light above them and examined him. The shard of glass wasn't overly large but it was enough to stick out. Gladiolus yanked it out with a small wince from his charge and then began to clean it up for him.

"Where did you get books with broken glass anyway?" asked Noctis.

"There was an accident and the owner of said books hadn't a chance to gather all the pieces before I happened by," explained Ignis vaguely, keeping his back toward him as he used the stove.

"What kind of accident gets shards of glass into books?" asked Prompto curiously.

"I couldn't say."

Gladiolus kept his face stern as he worked, wondering why Ignis was being so secretive about his medical texts - though it really wasn't that hard to piece together and the Shield decided now wasn't the best time to get into it. Once he was finished bandaging up Noctis's hand he wordlessly left the trailer, wanting some fresh air. The sun was disappearing over the horizon and the stars were making their appearance. The cool breeze blew over his skin and he pulled out his phone, flopping down in one of the plastic chairs as he did so. It was blank, not that he was really expecting any different but he was a bit disappointed. This was probably the first time he stopped moving since he last saw her, the first time he could sit and gather his thoughts. Was it really over? Gladio simply couldn't believe it, but the lack of communication between them seemed to say so. He didn't really want it to be over just when it had really started, however, there wasn't anything he could do about it now. Athenacia seemed to think he was some insensitive prick that didn't care about her origins. It wasn't like she advertised where she was from anyway, she never talked about her past.

The Shield was distracted by the others coming out of the trailer noisily with their plates of food. Ignis placed one in front of him, and Prompto brought out the utensils. Gladiolus grunted in thanks as the others sat down and began their meal. The tattooed man was suddenly ravenous at seeing his plate having no problems finishing what was on it. Noctis and Prompto filled in most of the silence, the young gunman looking longingly over at the garage. This was going to be an even longer journey with that guy pining over Cindy, something Ignis picked up on as well. They finished quickly, the two younger men heading into the trailer to pick out their beds. Ignis cleaned up the table and Gladiolus was once again left alone to his thoughts. The big man grabbed his phone again out of his pocket. Still nothing. He huffed angrily, putting it down and looking away in disgust. Who cares anyway? She was never really into it in the first place. The trailer door opened once more and only Ignis was there, coming to sit down with his cup of ebony.

"The countryside is quite peaceful," said Ignis lightly.

Gladiolus only nodded, leaning back in his chair and taking a look at the stars. There were quite a few more of them out here than inside of the city and he remembered Athenacia telling him about that, how right she was about the vastness of the sky above them.

"Perhaps you should get some rest," suggested Ignis, "Sleep may very well offer new solutions."

"Where'd you get the books?" asked Gladiolus.

He suspected the answer, but he had to actually hear it.

"Ah. Dr. Virum was gracious enough to lend them to me at my insistence."

"What sort of accident did she have?"

"The condition of her home was similar to a cyclone passing through it."

"Huh?"

"She is unharmed, though I daresay her empty beverage containers were unable to withstand her fury."

Gladiolus raised his eyebrows, somewhat happy to hear that she was miserable, "She did have a small drinking problem," conceded the big man.

"Indeed, though the Marshal had seen to that."

"Cor was there?" all of a sudden the words of that Glaive in the diner rang through his ears.

Ignis nodded, "He seems to be in need of her assistance. I happened upon the scene while he was taking his leave, a sizable box of unopened alcoholic beverages under his arm. He demanded her sobriety before exiting into the elevator. It seems they were in a dispute, her door was pushed open from the outside, damaged and in need of repair."

"What would Cor need with her?"

"She's a doctor, Gladio. With the presence of Niflheim inside of the Crown City I can only speculate her expertise with damage control."

Gladiolus nodded, the words of his friend making sense. He recalled all the different sorts of defences implemented by the King, from what his father was telling him, had even seen Cor with Prompto yesterday and he was in a sour mood. Guess that explained what that was about.

"That does leave me to pose the question, what did happen the night previous?" asked Ignis.

Gladiolus shrugged, "She's upset about the treaty, being an outsider."

Ignis didn't look surprised to hear that at all. Gladiolus regarded his friend curiously, wondering if the man had known the entire time that she wasn't from the city. Did she tell him that? Why would she tell him and not Gladio?

"You don't seem shocked," stated Gladiolus, "She's from Galahd."

The Adviser frowned, "Are you certain?"

"That's what she said."

"But the Marshal took her from the orphanage?"

"Yup."

"I was positive she was from Tenebrae."

"Why Tenebrae?"

"Her features don't match that of a Galahdan. Moreover, the timing doesn't add up with Galahd unless her family fled before the invasion."

Gladiolus shrugged, "We'll never know."

Ignis sighed, "Perhaps not..." he trailed, his face contorted into a thoughtful frown.

Something about that just didn't add up.


	19. Autopsy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You're all so awesome!

"No, I didn't mean-" she stopped, seeing the confusion in his eyes. Was the Prince's journey some sort of secret? Didn't seem like it with the way her ex had told her, "Next time give me a heads up."

"Sure thing,  _Doctor,_ " he snickered.

Virum glared at him as he shook his arm free of her grasp and continued to laugh while he walked away. The girl rolled her eyes, pulling out her tablet and looking through her work, walking back to the nurse's station while Tash kept her eyes on the Oracle. Dr. Virum also watched as she and Nyx got into the elevator, turning to face them. Lunafreya gave Virum a sad sort of smile, which made the young doctor frown. What was that about? There was no way to figure it out, the doors closed and both of them disappeared from sight, heading up toward the hospice.

"You know, you two could almost pass for sisters," said Tash.

Dr. Virum looked at the older woman like she had three heads, "What?"

"I said almost."

"You start to lose your vision with your old age? What good are those glasses if they don't even work?"

"Watch it, young lady."

"I'm going to have to, you obviously can't see."

Tash glared at Virum, the young doctor smirking. The resident nurse threw her hands up sarcastically, picking up her tablet and walking away from her station toward a treatment room. Once she was out of sight, Dr. Virum pulled out her phone, texting Cor to update him on her evacuation. There was nothing else, no one else had messaged her. Smiling sadly at his phone, she had no idea why she expected more out of it. Sighing, she put it back in her pocket and then proceeded to an examination room. There were patients to treat, no time to feel sorry for herself.

...

Dr. Virum had showered and changed into fresh scrubs. After her initial shock this morning with the Oracle's impromptu visit, she managed to sift through patients fairly quickly. People were starting to calm down as the signing ceremony was to be held the next day and they were getting ready for this historic event. Meanwhile, Virum had stayed at the hospital even when she wasn't scheduled in order to evacuate her patients, sleeping in the lounge and eating at the cafeteria. The girl hadn't been home since Cor had broken in and took her booze, not even sure if the door would close. At least in her childish rage it would look like someone already looted the place anyway.

The doctor was sitting at the nurse's station with her tablet, assigning her patients to their ride out of the city and en route to Lestallum. Virum was also beginning to send some of the part-time staff over there as well for the continued treatment. The doctors in Lestallum weren't happy getting all these patients with no records and were starting to run out of room but Dr. Virum wasn't going to stop, explaining that this was only temporary. All of her critical patients were gone so she no longer had to worry about ambulances being out of the city in case of an emergency. The phone in her pocket buzzed, distracting her thoughts and she pulled it out instantly, sighing as her expectations were dashed. She really had to stop doing that, she was the one that ended things, he wasn't going to call her. She made it pretty clear that it was over - and he finally stopped chasing her. The only thing she could do now was just move on, even if it was going to be hard, she had no choice. The girl had been through this before, she could do it again - though, it was much more difficult given that the situation was not the same in the slightest.

Sighing, she checked her phone message. It was from Cor, demanding that she come to the Citadel at once. Strange, usually he came to her if needed to see her. Virum frowned as she responded to him, holding her phone in her hands. It didn't take long for him to demand her presence there again. That same frown on her face, she rose from her seat and put her phone in her pocket. Darting into the locker room, she grabbed everything hastily before dashing out to her car. This must be urgent, he never made demands like that out of her. Once she closed the door to her vehicle, she wasted no time in setting off. There was anxiety building inside of her body, the time passing slowly as she made her way down the streets and toward the giant looming building in the centre of Insomnia. The streets were flooded, everyone bustling around busily getting ready for tomorrow. The traffic was frustrating, making her feel like she could walk much faster than she could drive right now. Stopping again, she was certain it would be a year before she managed to get inside the Citadel. Growling, she pulled out her phone and messaged Cor, seeing if he could speed things up for her.

Athenacia heard her phone buzz again and the Marshal assured her that she wouldn't be waiting much longer to get in. Good. A couple minutes later one of the security guards came into view, drawing her attention to her. Locking eyes with him, he directed her into the other lane while another officer stopped traffic on the other side, allowing her to pull in and bypass the massive line. This was much more like it. The doctor passed the security booth, nodding at them as she pulled passed the Citadel gates. Instead of going for the parking but was instead directed toward the front doors. As she pulled up, Cor was standing there waiting for her. Curious, she hastily exited her vehicle and rushed up the steps to meet him.

"This man will park your car, come with me," instructed Cor.

The physician frowned, giving the guard her keys and almost running to keep up with the Marshal as he entered the Citadel. Cor had a scowl on his face as he led her through the corridors and towards the elevators. They rode in silence with other people up to their desired floor and he took off at a brisk pace again. Athenacia was a little sick of him not speaking to her but she assumed it was something that couldn't be said around other people. The path they took was the same one she often walked to the infirmary and she was only getting more anxious as they approached Once they had entered, she saw Libertus and Nyx down the hallway. Athenacia frowned in confusion, about to call out to them but Cor had different ideas, pulling her swiftly into the empty room beside them. Looking at him sharply, the questions died on her tongue as he regarded her with a heavy heart.

"There's something you have to know," he started, "And you're not going to like it."

"What is it?" she was ready to burst.

Cor didn't look at her but he crossed his arms anyway, preparing for her reaction, "It's about your friend Crowe."

"What about her?"

"She was found dead this morning."

"What?!" her voice was hard, even though her hazel eyes widened.

"Just on the outskirts of the city, her body was brought in this morning."

"What the fuck are you talking about?! I thought there was a ceasefire!"

"There is, but-"

"So why the fuck is she dead?! What was she doing outside of the city?!"

"Cia, You need to-"

"No fuck this!" she screamed in outrage, leaving the room and slamming the door.

Shaking with rage, the physician walked to Libertus and Nyx who only wore faces that confirmed the news she had just heard from Cor. The larger man was fuming, demanding to be let in the room, while Nyx had a sad look, bringing his gaze up to the approaching doctor.

"They won't let me in!" said Libertus.

Athenacia didn't even bother with the staff, she simply burst through the door and walked into the room while ignoring the protests of the staffing, Libertus right behind her and Nyx not too far away. Tears welled in her eyes as she approached the still form of her friend. Crowe's eyes were open, her skin blue which indicated she had been dead longer than this morning. The unmistakable smell of rotting flesh surrounded her and the smell of fresh trash. The deceased was in a body bag, only her head still showing. The look on her face... Her brown eyes were almost colourless and the skin on her face was drained, looking like something sucked the life out of her. Someone had murdered her and then dumped her in the trash. Athenacia growled at that thought, the tears falling from her eyes in an angry manner.

The girl looked over at Libertus and Nyx, who also bore tears of sorrow in their eyes. Nyx met her gaze but only briefly as he put a hand on his neck. Libertus had finally made his way over, kneeling down by Crowe's body and placing a hand on her head. Athenacia's fists clenched tightly and she caught the movement of Cor standing at the doorway. Libertus cried in mourning for his friend, his sister and Athenacia could only silently join him. Nostrils flaring, she roughly grabbed the tablet out of the coroner's hands, looking over the file.

"You haven't performed an autopsy?!" asked Athenacia.

"Cause of death is multiple gunshot wounds," replied the doctor.

Athenacia glared at him, "I'll do it," she gritted, shoving his tablet in his hands with disgust and walking toward Crowe's body.

"You don't have the authority-"

"Cor!"

"She's doing it," said Cor at once in a no-nonsense tone.

The young doctor put her hand on Libertus's shoulder and he looked up her with tears in his eyes. Slowly she nodded at the large man and he got up from the floor, wiped his face and allowed Nyx to lead him past Cor and out of the room. The Marshal met her gaze, before nodding at her once and leaving as well. Athenacia ignored the staffing here and began to rummage through their inventory, grabbing the tools she would need for the autopsy.

"You can leave," she dismissed them in a hard voice, not even bothering to look at them.

They listening, knowing that she had the authority of the Marshal on her side. Dr. Virum put a face mask on and another band over her hair. Sighing heavily, she put on a pair of latex gloves, gently closing Crowe's eyelids and unzipped the body bag. More tears formed when the woman was revealed, the gunshot wounds evident in her body. Virum grabbed her tools, looking to pull out the slugs only to find that they weren't there. Frowning, she stuck her gloved fingers into the wounds, probing gently only to find that nothing was there. Curious. Grabbing a scalpel from the tray of surgical tools, she began by making a Y incision. A quivering breath escaped her beneath her mask, having a hard time continuing, however, she was already suspicious about this in the first place. Keeping her tears at bay, she grabbed the shears, using them to open up the chest cavity and expose the heart and lungs. Once the chest plate was placed aside, she scrutinized the major organs and soft tissue inside. The scalpel in her hand was used to remove the soft tissue encompassing the heart, stomach, liver and lungs. So far, Virum did not like what she was seeing.

The damage to the abdomen was evident here but she was still unable to see the actual slugs used to kill Crowe. This was not good at all. Dr. Virum, grabbed her probing tool, searching for any sort of fragments that might help her out. From the looks of it, whatever bullets were used dissolved inside of the body, almost making them untraceable - which only made her worry more. Whoever did this, did not want to be caught. Closer to the bottom of the left lung, Virum scraped some discoloured fragments out into a petri dish and looked at them closely. Placing on a set of glasses with microscopes over the eyes so she could examine the dish more closely, she was certain she was seeing residue of the bullet used to kill the victim. Judging from the amount, there was more than one shot taken. Virum put the dish down, bringing the microscope up and looked back toward where the wounds would have been. Scraping some more fragments from the liver and the stomach, she put a lid on the dish and placed it aside, going back to rummage through more on the deceased body. The burn marks made it seem like the bullet shocked its way throughout the body, killing from the inside. Dr. Virum only knew of one person with that kind of weapon.

The physician quickly replaced the chest cavity, coming to her conclusion. Heaving a heavy sigh, she began to sew up the skin, starting from the bottom and working her way up. When she was finished, she zipped up the body bag, just under the woman's chin. Athenacia removed her bloodied gloves, face mask, and hair net, looking at her friend with sad hazel eyes. A proper autopsy would require her to open up the skill and observe the brain, however, she already had what she needed so there was no sense in desecrating the body any more than necessary. Another shaking breath exhaled, letting a tear fall as her hand came to rest upon the woman's forehead. Athenacia rubbed her thumb over the pale, dead skin, hating that she wasn't there to help her. Hell, she had no idea Crowe had even left the city. What was she doing out there? Why didn't she come to her? Usually, Crowe would swing by before leaving on any sort of mission, but not this time. Athenacia found that highly suspicious.

In fact, everything seemed a little fishy. The Prince with only an escort of three on the way to Altissia, Cor telling her to transfer patients out of the city, Lady Lunafreya coming here to Insomnia like this, and now Crowe dead on the Lucian frontier. Nothing was adding up and Athenacia felt like she was being forced to sit up against the window as it all happened right before her very eyes. Looking back at Crowe's still form, that same anger built within her. The doctor gave the forehead one last rub of her thumb before removing her hands and zipping the bag over her head and out of sight. One more tear escaped, knowing that she would never see that smiling face again.

...

Athenacia walked briskly toward the Marshal's office. It had been a long time since she had marched down these corridors, and plenty were staring at a doctor who donned bloodied scrubs and a lab coat roaming around. The girl she didn't care, she was so upset that she dared them to challenge her with a simple glare. They didn't. The petri dish she had from Crowe's autopsy was clutched her in hand tightly and her jaw set on one person and one person only. In fact, her face was contorted into such a terrifying scowl that most of the other Crownsguard moved out of her path. As she came to Cor's office she noted that there were two people standing in front of it. They saw her coming and prepared themselves to block. Athenacia wasn't going to have any of that, she had to speak to Cor about what she found and she had to do it now, completely uncaring of what he was occupied with. The woman before her sighed, knowing that this wasn't going to be a very friendly conversation.

"I'm sorry miss, but you can't go in there right now," she spoke in a militant tone.

"Watch me," replied Athenacia darkly, pushing past her and trying to open the door.

It was locked. The hell with that, she used her borrowed lightning magic, overshooting it and having it burst into splinters before her. As the debris cleared, Cor was looking at her, as well as Clarus Amicitia who was speaking with the Marshal privately in his office. Cor didn't seem that shocked when he saw the source of the disturbance, however, Clarus had his eyebrows raised a little. Athenacia wasn't looking at the King's Shield though, she was focused on the Marshal as she stepped inside of the room.

"Was that necessary?" asked Cor.

"Call it payback for my door," she replied.

"I only broke your lock."

"Karma's a bitch, and so am I."

"Did you need something?"

Athenacia threw the petri dish at Cor, who caught it without leaving her gaze. It took a moment before he looked at it curiously, in the end having no idea what he was staring at. The Marshal's same unreadable gaze came back at her expectantly.

"We need to talk privately," her voice was cold.

"Could have if you didn't blow up my door," shrugged Cor.

"Wouldn't matter, need to make sure that no extra ears hear us."

"What's this about?"

"Seriously, somewhere private," her eyes were ablaze.

The Immortal regarded her with a curious frown, raising a brow before nodding and rising from his seat, still holding the dish in his hands.

"I'll take my leave," announced Clarus, obviously uncomfortable in the middle of them.

"No, it's best if you hear this too, and his Majesty if possible," said Athenacia, her tone a little more respectful.

The girl didn't look at him when she spoke, she couldn't, not after what happened with his son. The King's Shield nodded in her peripheral vision and the two men shared a look before leaving the office, stepping over the ruins of the door and leading her back to the elevators. They were all silent as they rode up to the royal apartments, the ride quick given that they had some special card that let them bypass floors. Good, she wasn't interested in waiting around anymore. Athenacia followed them to the end of the hall and past the guards, entering the room of King Regis. The physician almost gasped when she saw the man. Regis was so weak and frail compared to when she had last examined him, sitting in that same chair from last time and giving her a curious look as she entered the room with the two men at her side. The door closed behind her and she felt too afraid to move from the entrance. Cor walked to the King, handing him the petri dish that she had thrown at him. Clarus also came to stand by his charge and try to observe the contents of the container. The Royal squinted, not really sure at what he was looking at.

"What is this?" asked King Regis curiously.

"There are no extra ears in here?" she inquired.

"No, child. Only us."

Athenacia nodded, walking toward the three men carefully, adjusting her purse around her body, "That is a residue of the bullets used to kill Crowe Altius, of your Kingsglaive," she answered in her most neutral tone.

"Ah. I had heard the young lady was found this morning."

"The report said it was multiple gunshot wounds," said Cor.

"Yeah, but they tore apart her insides, and killed there. She suffered greatly before she was thrown into the trash, probably still alive," continued the doctor.

"I'm truly sorry for your loss," said King Regis, "She was a good soldier."

"The best," corrected Athenacia absently. Then she caught herself, "I'm sorry, your Majesty, it's been a hard few days."

He nodded at her, "I understand."

"So what does this bullet mean then?" asked Clarus, drawing her attention.

She still didn't look at him, couldn't bring herself to do so as she bit her lip, "You have a mole," she stated.

The men looked at each other and then back at her, waiting for an explanation.

"You're sure?" asked the Shield.

Athenacia nodded, chancing a glance at him and them removing her eyes instantly, "That bullet is Insomnian made, I bet my life on it."

Cor growled, King Regis looking darkly at the dish. Clarus wore a look of sorrow, but they were all silent and she patiently waited for one of them to speak up. Maybe she would get a little more insight as to what was going on, why things were so tense and off lately, however, as the time passed, it appeared that she wouldn't be getting an explanation about anything. Athenacia internally sighed, wishing that she was privy to such information. Maybe if she were still a Glaive, but now she was just an ordinary citizen - which is what she wanted in the first place.

"I thank you for bringing this to me," said King Regis, holding up the dish, "Cor will see you out. The hour grows late, you should get some rest. I know you'll be needed tomorrow."

The girl only smiled sadly, bowing her head respectfully to him. The Marshal began to walk toward her, pushing past her and opening up the door. Once she began to turn to leave, her heart heavy as she did so.

"Athenacia," she heard the King call to her. Curious, she turned to face him, "Take care. The world needs you more than you think it does. The people who have come to care for you, need you more than you think they do," he offered her a small smile.

"The same could be said for you," she nodded at him returning his smile.

Athenacia left then without a word, closing the door behind her. Cor lead the way to the elevator, a frown on her face. Why did that feel like the King was saying goodbye? Almost like he knew there was a mole. Almost like... he was planning on a disaster to strike. Once they had gotten into the elevator, she turned to Cor.

"Why was Crowe outside the city by herself?" she asked.

The Marshal sighed, "She was on a mission to escort the Oracle to Altissia."

That rose even more questions, "So why is the Oracle here?"

"We don't know."

"You already knew there was a mole," she accused.

"Suspected when we lost contact with Crowe and Lady Lunafreya showed up here. You confirmed it."

"Those bullets that were used..." she brought her gaze back down to her feet. Her hands absently covered her lower abdomen, "They were the same ones that..." she couldn't bring herself to say it.

The gentle hand placed on her shoulder made her body tense.

"Sorry kid."

Tears welled in the bottom of her eyes but she refused to let them fall. Athenacia was not going to let that come back to her. Not now.

She shook her head, "The weapon that killed her belongs to Luche Lazarus," her voice was hard, looking back up at him, "But he's not the type to act alone."

"I know."

"Nothing about this is right, Cor."

"I know, Cia," he said more sternly, "That's why I needed you on standby."

They reached their desired floor and Cor barked instructions at one of the guards. They walked to the front door where she had entered earlier in the day. The sun had gone down by now and the stars were out. There was still a line up to get into the Citadel but at least it would be easier for her to get out. Athenacia saw her car was being pulled up for her to drive in, however, Cor grabbed her shoulder before she could leave.

"Get some rest, but before you do, make sure you're ready to leave at a moments notice. I can't let anything happen to you, but I can't be there to babysit you either," the man instructed, looking at her with thick emotions in his light blue eyes.

Her brows only stayed in that frown, her body filling with worry. The only thing she could do was nod at him.

"I'll take care of myself," she assured him.

"Good. Try to get some sleep," he removed his hand, jerking his head toward her car.

The guard came up and handed her the keys. Athenacia never left the gaze of the Marshal, the two of them not quite ready to part ways. It was obvious that she should be expecting the same sort of chaos that he was, understanding only the tip of what he was trying to tell her. Exhaling deeply, she tried to offer him a half smile.

"No promises."


	20. Insufficient Tension

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for all the kudos, subscriptions, comments, reads all of it! You rock!

Athenacia opened the brand new door to her apartment and stepped inside. Instantly she knew that she should have gone back to work instead. The mess from her rage was still lying around, and she was so emotionally drained that she didn't really know what to do with it. On top of that, the odour that nearly blew her off her feet was ripe. Closing her door behind her and dropping her purse on the ground, she wished she had the ability to drink. But it wasn't an option. Cor had forbidden her from it and after all the events as of late she was extremely happy he had kicked her ass when he did. She definitely needed what little wits she had intact and focused. Removing her lab coat, she threw it on the couch, having it land on the half-open pizza box. Keys were tossed on the breakfast nook as she walked into her bathroom, keeping her shoes on. Athenacia heaved a heavy sigh as soon as she turned on the light. It was a disaster zone, aroma of stale vomit and liquor invading her nostrils. Looks like she was going to have to take care of this first. The floor crunched with all of the broken glass as she passed a large hole in the wall near the kitchen doorway from the bottle she had thrown at Cor's head. It was going to be a long night.

The girl began her cleaning with whatever glass she could find, running her broom along the floor and sweeping it all into one corner. That would at least stop most of the potential tripping hazard. Sighing again as she looked around, Athenacia already felt defeated. This was going to be a lot of work. She trudged through it, finding as much broken glass as she could and isolating it. Once she had done that, she put that all in a garbage bag, then cleaned up the piles of vomit. It became evident to her that she had a serious drinking problem. Satisfied with her work she left the garbage in one pile before she walked back into the bathroom and began to draw a bath. Athenacia removed her dirty scrubs that had bone dust and dried blood on them, putting them in a pile and then pulled the tie out of her hair. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot, she needed sleep but she had to clean herself first. Thoroughly. The doctor had never felt so atrocious before in her life, not even when she came back from her last battle.

Her hair was matted and all mussed up from the sweat, skin was completely pale and face thinner than usual. Athenacia's hazel eyes were barely visible with how puffy they were. The dark circles were almost purely black, she didn't even look alive whatsoever. Running her eyes further down she turned her body to the right. The scar from her stab wound a while back was extremely pink against her pale skin. Frowning, she turned back to face the mirror head-on, noting the contusions from bumping around her home that were starting to form. Athenacia ran her fingers down her ugly neck scar, deepening her frown in disgust at it before tearing her gaze away from her reflection. The bath water was overly warm, boiling her skin, but it was cleansing, the exact thing that she needed after a weary day. It soothed her weary soul as she submerged her head under the water. She took in a deep breath when she resurfaced and wiped the water from her eyes. As the dust settled, so did her worry for tomorrow, about Cor and his duty. The man would be by the King's side, he wouldn't move unless otherwise ordered. A gnawing fear grew within her at the thought of anything happening to either of them. Cor had been there most of her life, maybe the closest thing to family she had in this world...

Athenacia rose from the tub after a thorough clean of herself. It had been years since she performed an autopsy, and they always left her feeling utterly disgusting. Drying herself off, she gave her hair a quick brush and then slithered into bed. When was the last time she slept in her bed by herself? That thought made her feel very lonely, however, she was so tired she nearly fell asleep instantly. Her phone started buzzing soon after her eyes were closed and she ignored it. There wasn't much night left and she knew that she would be up and busy once the first light had hit - she needed what little sleep she could get. A few minutes later her phone buzzed again, but by then she had drifted off into a deep sleep.

...

Gladiolus lied on the ground of the haven just outside of Galdin Quay. The other three men had retired to the tent already, leaving the Shield to his own thoughts. The fire was crackling beside him as he gazed up at the many stars, the sound of waves crashing on the beach in his ears. Prompto and Noctis wanted to sleep in the hotel room but they were short funds, having to go do a few hunts. They also had a mission from a local reporter they had met named Dino. He was going to get them ferry tickets in exchange for their help. Gladiolus wasn't really a fan of Dino, but if he could come through then so be it. Whatever they needed in order to get to Altissia and get the Prince wed to the Oracle. Then he could hurry home and...

And do what exactly? The reality that his relationship was over weighed heavy on him. Gladio let out a sigh, putting his hands behind his head as his amber gaze rolled over the millions of stars in his sight. The sky was so vast, he had never noticed before while inside of Insomnia. There was so much light pollution in the Crown City that he couldn't see nearly as many stars. It stretched beyond his own sight and he suddenly felt very small. It was an odd feeling, literally being the bigger person in nearly every situation. They hung up there without a care in the world. He was just one person on this world, one small person roaming around. Suddenly all the tension and anger he had been holding onto the last few days dissipated and a calm took over him.

Gladio smiled, thinking back to the beginning of that night, the very last night he had seen Athenacia. Chasing her around the park near her house, he wasn't expecting that. He remembered the smile on her face from when she had saved that pregnant woman, the light in her eyes when she had treated Valentina during the code grey. He remembered the infant that needed the heart transplant, her victory diagnosing that. He recalled the professional and intent look she had when stitching up him and his friends. Her scent, which was usually composed of lavender with a small hint of vanilla. The genuine happy look she bore whenever she looked at him, how easy it was to embarrass her. Gladio remembered their first kiss, in the middle of a thunderstorm, a time that he assured her the past wasn't going to be an issue. The Shield let out another sigh, his heart heavy. Now that his head was clear, he realized how much he truly missed her.

In truth, he was being a little insensitive. The thought of someone coming into his house and forcing him out made him mad, he couldn't imagine having to leave and never go back. He couldn't imagine growing up knowing that his home was gone and that he were never going to see it again - especially when there had no family to help remember what that was like. Athenacia had never talked about it and he never pushed her. It probably wasn't easy, having never been able to depend on anyone before.

Gladiolus moved one of his hands, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. One arm remained beneath his head as he put the phone to his ear. The call connected, beginning to ring. On the third one, she still hadn't answered. What time was it even? Would she answer at all? Was she working? What was he even doing? What would he say to her? The large man had never been so unsure of himself before. The corners of his mouth tugged into a small smile, he really did like her. The Shield was about to give up when the ringing stopped. His heart nearly stopped while he waited, but he sighed as the sound of her voice came through the earpiece, reciting the recorded outgoing message. He hung up the phone before it was finished.

The large man held the phone to his chest as his amber eyes went distant at the sight before him. The twinkling lights of the stars ignored him and his plight. The tension in his body only made him more and more nervous as he wondered why she hadn't answered. Surely she would have given him a bit of her time? Unless she couldn't answer right now, unless she was unwilling to forgive him. Gladio looked at his phone screen and clicked on her contact card, smiling briefly at the picture he assigned to her name. It was during one of his random drop-ins at her work, her face was lit up, hazel eyes showing life inside of them. Her eyes weren't even as bloodshot as they usually were and the dark circles were hardly visible. In fact, they had that light in them that he absolutely adored. Athenacia was smiling gently as she looked at one of her patients, one of the days that she had a victory. Heaving another heavy sigh, he clicked on her name and waited until the call connected. It rang continuously and he wasn't expecting an answer this time, knew that it was probably too late. Gladiolus had no idea how Insomnia was even fairing after being away as long as he had, but that wasn't important right now. The phone stopped ringing and there was that small pause. Athenacia didn't answer, it was going to her machine. A smile graced his features at hearing her professional tone of voice sound in his ear.

"You've reached the voicemail box of Dr. Athenacia Virum. I am unable to take your call right now. Please leave me your name, number and a detailed message and I will be sure to get back to you as soon as possible. If this is an emergency, please hang up now and dial the emergency response number and wait for assistance. Thank you," the recorded outgoing message was finished. After another small pause, there was a beep, ready to take the recording.

Gladio let out a breath, "Hey... Doc..." he began tentatively. He had absolutely no idea what to say to her, "It's... it's Gladio," he was never so unsure of himself before, "You uh... must be busy..." Stupid! "You know, you were right. The stars they... do make you feel pretty small," he let out a small nervous laugh, "I'm here in Galdin Quay. It's... it's beautiful Doc, you were right..." he paused letting out another heavy breath. He was completely messing this up, "Listen I was thinking..." what was he thinking? He really should have planned this out better, "Maybe when I get back... I don't know, we could come check it out? You know just... just the two of us. I mean, Noct is going to be a newlywed, he's not going to need me right away. We could even go further... Head over to Galahd if you wanted... just us you know?" yeah he was definitely screwing this up. Abort, "I mean, if you wanted to that is," he added hastily. Shit, "Anyway I uh... I'll let you go. Give me a call... if you want. Hopefully, I'll see you when I get back? 'Night Doc," he ended the call.

That certainly did  _not_  go as planned. Gladiolus held the phone to his chest and left it there screen down. What was he thinking? He'd be lucky if she even listened to that let alone call him back. His confidence shattered completely and that was something that never happened to him. It would have been better to just wait until he got to Altissia or something. Or even good and drunk, that would have boosted himself much better. What was she doing to him?

"Dude that was the  _worst_  apology ever," groaned Prompto from inside the tent.

"Prompto!" roared Gladiolus, in fury.

Prince Noctis was laughing out loud, "I'll say."

"It was all broken sentences. Not even a compliment," continued Prompto.

Gladiolus growled.

"Would have been better if he compared her to the beach," said Noctis.

"Oh totally, she would have eaten that right up," agreed Prompto.

"I'm not quite certain I even heard an actual apology in that... desultory plea," mused Ignis.

"Not you too Iggy!" Gladiolus sighed, rolled his eyes.

"You're right Iggy, was more like a rambling on about nothing. Even I can do better asking a girl out," remarked Prompto, laughing.

"His performance was severely lacking," agreed Ignis.

"Especially since he's already been out with this girl. Dude, you can do way better than that."

"I can't say I've ever seen Gladio pine over a girl like this before," quipped Noctis laughing still.

"You done?" the Shield was very unhappy about them eavesdropping on his... whatever sort of disaster it was.

"If you make Noct give me the gil he owes me I'll share half of it with you big guy," said Prompto.

"What?!"

"Yeah dude, I totally had tonight pegged for when you'd cave and call her."

"Prompto!" Gladiolus cried in an angry voice.

"I believe actually that the spoils belong to me," interjected Ignis, "The hour has grown passed your time and the day falls on my prediction.

"What?! No!" protested Prompto, "Come on Iggy," whined Prompto.

"Specs it is," Noctis continued to laugh.

"You know, dead men don't need gil," said Gladiolus pointedly, scrambling to his feet and stomping toward the entrance of the tent.

...

Athenacia woke up to an absent pounding in her head. At least she was sure it was in her head. Her hazel eyes cracked open tiredly and she could see the sun start to peek its way over the horizon. Rubbing her tired eyes, she sat up slightly, absently grabbing for her phone and unlocked the screen before frowning at it. Two missed calls and one voicemail. Looking through the call log, her frown deepened when she read the name. It was Gladiolus, he called her twice, about five minutes apart. Fear began to grip her heart as she wondered why he had called her so frequently in the middle of the night like that.

Was everything okay? Images of him and his companions bloodied and broken came to her heard. Athenacia could see Luche standing over them with his weapon, laughing as his bullets tore through their insides and killed them slowly. Her hand shook slightly as she stared at her screen in horror. Gladio left a voicemail. Did she want to hear it? What if it really was them being attacked and he was trying to reach her before things got worse? And she was sleeping through it all. Sighing, she pushed the screen and put the phone to her ear as she listened to the message. A smile spread across her face as his nervous voice rang in her ear, all her fears melting away in an instant. This wasn't like him at all - though she knew how powerful the stars were, especially out near the sea. As the message went on her smile only grew bigger. That was until he reached the part about going to Galahd. When it was finished, she disconnected the call and sighed sadly while looking down at her hands. Athenacia definitely wasn't expecting to wake up to anything like this.

It wasn't much of an apology at all, but it was probably the best she was going to get out of him. Why was she even mad at him anyway? Because she was drunk and upset about other things? The doctor couldn't really be angry with him about something he didn't understand. Athenacia knew that she was being so childish, she liked who he was. Realistically, she never talked about herself anyway. So he really couldn't have known anything about how she was feeling on the matter. This was his first trip outside the city, he had no idea of the world out there, and none of that was really his fault. It was unfair to keep punishing him for something he just didn't understand, for something that she never even attempted to help him understand. Even if he didn't actually apologize, at least he was trying to repair their rift.

Athenacia owed him a response, something to let him know that she was sorry for her explosion. She held her phone tightly in her hands, going to compose a message and then stopping once her keyboard popped up. What would she even say? Suddenly she understood his apprehension and nervousness while trying to talk to her. It had been days since they had last seen each other and it wasn't a very pleasant ending. The girl sighed as she leaned back on her pillows, pulling up her phone and continued to stare at the screen that awaited her instruction. She pushed the call button instead. Athenacia wanted to hear his voice, knowing that it would help her form the words she needed to speak to him. Her stomach was twisted in knots as she waited for him to answer, but it kept ringing. The doctor was getting more nervous by the second and sighed when his outgoing message started to play. That was the most of his voice she was going to hear, and it wasn't much, a simple "Leave a message" before the beep sounded in her ear.

"Gladio," her tone was a little more upbeat than his but still a little uncertain, "I'm happy you guys are all okay," which was true after seeing her missed calls, "The stars are something I miss about being outside the city, it's... good that you're enjoying them. Ignis robbed me of most of my books, I'm pretty sure there's one with constellations in it. I always liked trying to find them before I slept," she was so not making this easier. She sighed, trying to find her words, "Stay safe out there, it's... a whole different world outside of Insomnia. But... going on a journey with you, well... I'd like that," she smiled, a tear falling down her face and into her hair, "I'd like to show you my home if you really want to see it. Anyway I'll... I'll see you when you get back. Take care, Gladio, and be safe, all of you."

Athenacia hung up the phone and let out a huge sigh. That could have gone so much more smoothly, a simple text would have been less painful she was sure. The doctor groaned at her own nervous demeanour about the whole thing. At least if everything went to shit today she wouldn't have to feel like a complete jerk for losing herself in her own emotions. Athenacia sincerely hoped that they would be okay and that he would make it back to the city safely. She missed him more than she cared to admit.

As the sun rose, so did the realization that today was the Signing Ceremony. Today was the day that she needed to be on high alert. Her head snapped as she heard a booming knock on her front door. The physician groaned, wondering who in Eos would bother to come to her apartment this early. Throwing the blankets off her, she grabbed her clothes from her dresser and hurried to put them on. That same knock was on the door and she ran in her bare feet, wearing shorts and an oversized T-shirt, opening the door quickly, just as the visitor was about to knock again.

"Cor?" she was confused.

The Marshal was standing on the other side of the door. Athenacia frowned at him, not expecting to see him at all today. The man didn't look like he had slept at all overnight, the lines in his face as he aged sticking out more than usual. Cor didn't show signs of grey hair just yet and she was a little shocked after the crap she had put him through growing up. It was then she noted that he had food in his hand and she stood aside to let him in, closing the door behind him. Athenacia turning to follow him and he threw the bag in his hand onto her breakfast nook.

"No glass," he approved, taking a quick look around.

"What are you doing here?" she asked confused.

Cor sat down, taking out a styrofoam box for himself and leaving the other for her. The girl frowned again as he began to eat, finding his behaviour very odd but since he wasn't offering her any explanations, she decided to take her seat beside him. Athenacia opened her own container, picking at her food. She was nervous, unable to read his body language as usual and way too tired after barely sleeping the entire night. That was normal for her, but on a day like today, it wasn't really the best course of action.

"Did you pack?" he asked as he finished his breakfast.

"Not yet. I was going to get everything ready before work. I need supplies from the hospital," she replied, still picking at her food.

"Make sure you pack your weapon."

"My weapon? Are you sure?"

"If I need you with me for crowd control, I'd rather you be armed."

"Crowd control? What are you doing there?"

"The Crownsguard will be taking care of the citizens."

"What?" she was in disbelief, "After everything I found yesterday you're being dismissed?"

He grunted, "I've been butting heads with Clarus to try and change it. His Majesty refuses. I tried using your information as leverage. My hands are tired, we take care of the people first."

"Cor-"

"There's nothing I can do to change that."

She frowned, "Why are you letting this happen?"

"I'm not letting anything happen, Cia!"

"You're giving up!"

"Not by choice!"

Athenacia growled a little, but he refused to face her, and that was abnormal. Cor had a scowl on his face, truly unhappy with the circumstances. It was then she realized the real reason for his visit. The man needed to vent and he came to her to do it. Maybe it was because she knew of the Glaive treason, or maybe it was because of their history. Either way, she was going to be here for him, because when she had come back from her last battle, he was there for her. Cor stood by her when no one else would and she owed him for that.

"So who's supposed to protect the King?" she asked, her voice a little calmer.

"The Glaives," he replied in disgust.

"Seriously? Still?"

"They've got the magic, they're the only ones who can fight the Empire. So is their excuse."

"I've still got the magic, maybe I should dust off my old uniform."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I need to be able to reach you. I can't do that if you're fighting with the Glaives."

"Cor, there's treason-"

"I know, Cia!" he barked, looking at her.

Athenacia gasped, that same thickness of emotions in his light blue eyes. Did he not trust her to do her job as a Glaive? No, that wasn't it. It was truly killing him inside to know that someone was plotting against his King, someone from the inside and that there was nothing he could do about it. But there was something else, something that he was hiding from her. It wasn't like she was privy to all the information he had as a guard, but still...

"What aren't you telling me?" she asked tentatively, studying his gaze.

Cor sighed, prying his eyes away from her and standing. The Marshal put a hand on her shoulder and she watched the conflict on his face before he eventually just pulled her into a hug. Athenacia tensed, taken completely off guard by him before hesitantly returning it, feeling tears in her eyes though she had no idea why. What was going on here? He pulled back, gazing at her confused face and wiping away a tear that escaped her.

"Be safe out there," he said, "Keep your phone on you in case I need you."

Athenacia opened her mouth to reply, unsure of what to say, "Take care of yourself," was all she could manage.

Cor nodded at her, leaving the room and the lingering fear of what was to come.


	21. The Signing Ceremony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! I appreciate all the kudos, subscriptions, hits, bookmarks, comments all of it! You guys are awesome!

Dr. Virum finished packing the last of the medical supplies she thought she would need, wanting to cover all of her bases and make sure that she had enough to fill up her entire bag while leaving no room for mistakes. After a strange emotional breakfast with the Marshal this morning, she immediately began to gather up her emergency getaway bag. There weren't many clothes, only what she would need for fighting and travelling. It was with a heavy heart she had dug out her weapon from her closet, cleaning it and having it sharpened before sheathing it to pack it up. The safety net of everything in her grasp would be kept right near the nurse's station, the tension in the air rising with every passing minute that they approached the fateful hour of the Signing Ceremony.

There was so much to do and yet not enough time. Patients waited to be treated and it seemed that they had the most minimal of staff, everyone wanted the day off to be at the Citadel. That's where they really should have been, near the action in case there was a dire need for medical attention. Virum would also be able to keep a better eye on Cor, who was throwing her through a roller coaster of different emotions today. Emergency medicine was her area of expertise, she belonged where all the action was not sitting here, fidgeting with worry as she went about her very slow day. Both Gin and Tash were in today, as Dr. Virum had asked them just to help her sort some things out with the hospice and anxiety patients. Neither of them seemed to mind, wanting to be together anyway during the ceremony. It was still a few hours off but the local television station - which was on in the hospital - was doing full coverage. While there was nothing pressing going on with the current events, nurses and passing patients only glanced at it briefly as they happened by. The sound was on but only on low, the droning of the reporter's words unimportant.

By mid-morning, the last of the transport vehicles to Lestallum had arrived. Dr. Virum and Gin began to bring the patients out, other porters were also strapping in and securing other patients. Virum looked around, monitoring the situation and double checking that every need was met and packing extra supplies, just in case she had to flee to Lestallum herself. It was hard to think about such a drastic exit, however, she always liked to be prepared - just in case. There was one patient that would be going in an ambulance, his ailment taking a turn for the worse in the night and the doctor figured she could spare at least one of them. Just as Gin was about to close the doors, Dr. Virum stopped her abruptly.

"Get in the rig," she instructed.

"What?" Gin looked at her friend confused.

"Get in and go."

"Cia-"

"Please don't argue with me, just get in the rig and go with them."

"No, what is this about?"

Dr. Virum sighed, "Look, I just..."

How was she to even begin? Crowe's death and Cor's emotional train, the blatant dismissal of her uncovering a mole in the Glaive. Something was seriously amiss, so strong she could almost taste it. As she stared at her ginger-haired, pregnant resident nurse, she could feel in the pit of her stomach that this woman needed to go. Virum didn't want anything to happen to anyone she cared about - hell if she had a chance at prying Tash away she would send them both, but Tash wouldn't leave her sons. What was a girl to do? She couldn't very well blurt everything out that had happened.

"I've got a bad feeling and I think it's best if you go to Lestallum."

"Seriously, I am so unprepared for a journey right now."

"I know and I'm sorry. But we've got so many already going there and I don't want them to be alone."

"Cia, I can't go."

"You have to. I'm ordering you as your boss. You have to go, get in the rig."

Gin looked at her helplessly, not really liking this at all, "But-"

"I could be wrong and I really hope that I am. You'll be back in a couple of days and you get a vacation out of it. Please, just get in the rig."

The pregnant woman knitted her brows into worry before she nodded slowly, getting into the back of the ambulance and sitting by her patient. Gin gave one last look at Dr. Virum before the doors were closed and she was safely on her way out. Virum sighed as she watched it disappear from her view, her heart heavy as she turned her head toward the Citadel. The gnawing feeling of dread continued to pulse through her body and she hoped that everything was okay there before heading back to the hospital.

...

Dr. Virum yawned as she sat the nurse's station with Tash. Most of the patients had thinned out since this morning and as they entered a lunch hour there was more action towards the Citadel. The hoards of Niflheim leaders were arriving for the ceremony. Virum recognized the Emperor of Niflheim, Iedolas Aldercapt. That was the face of their enemy, the one who gave the order to invade town after town and kill people by the thousands. This was the man they were making peace with, who would enslave the lands outside of Insomnia and do who knows what with it. Her fist tightened at her side as her other hand came to her forehead, something unfamiliar stirring within her. Virum squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to push away images of her inside the throne room years ago before King Regis. She didn't even remember what she was doing there but for whatever reason this man made her think of it. Shaking her head, a frown stayed on her face, happy that Aldercapt was no longer on the screen. Next, the camera pointed to a man she had never met but knew on sight.

Ravus Nox Fleuret, the former Prince of Tenebrae, had almost an evil smile to him. His hardship wasn't unknown, neither was his resentment for the King. The man seemed to be enjoying the attention given to him, a ripe sort of arrogance surrounding his person. Dr. Virum's eyes seemed to be playing tricks on her. Blinking hard and shaking her head, the image of a dark shadow and a gleaming blade came to her as she drunk in his image. The scar on her neck started to burn as the blade wormed its way into her brain. A hateful glare formed then, the blemish was just a huge reminder of her failure.

Once the camera moved she was shaken out of her thoughts. Virum found it odd that there was no sign of the Oracle, nor any of the Glaives. None of this was adding up and she really hoped the King knew what he was doing because she really couldn't bear it if something happened to him or anyone else. In the end, she was happy that Gladiolus and the others were away from the city or she would fear for their lives as well. It was almost easier to feel nothing. Almost. The cameras followed the Niflheim and Insomnian officials alike through the Citadel and toward the conference room. This was where the signing was supposed to take place. Virum felt fear grip her heart as she noted that the King was not present yet. By this time, everyone in the hospital had stopped their work if they could and stood near the station, all eyes on the television before them. No one said anything, even the steady beeping of monitors seemed to be drowned out by the anticipation of this historic event. Dr. Virum put her hand on her bag, feeling a little safer having her things ready to go.

King Regis entered the room, notably late but still there. Virum felt more anxiety bubbling within her body as she watching him approach the table and take his place beside the Emperor. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes glued to the screen. The two of them seemed to be talking under their breath, as the book was slowly being brought towards them. Once it was placed on the table, a pin could have dropped and sounded in her ears like an alarm. The Emperor looked smug about something, and Dr. Virum caught the look of apprehension on the King's face before it happened, unable to read their lips as she was trained.

Without warning, his weapons emerged just as Niflheim forces began to gun down Insomnians within the room. The screen went fuzzy after that, the connection terminated. Dr. Virum's eyes widened in horror at the last thing she saw and shot out of her seat instantly. It was instantaneous that she could already hear gunfire and the screaming panic outside, soldiers starting to shoot civilians. Athenacia swiftly put her bag on her back, staff and patients alike began to panic.

"Everyone stay calm! Evacuate the building calmly and find any Crownsguard, they'll help you of the city!"

But fear seemed to take over as more screams erupted from outside of the hospital. Athenacia gasped as she was being pushed by people rushing out towards the exits. Before she could get completely trampled, someone grasped her arm to pull her out of the way. It was Tash, the older woman also staying out of the stampede that was the emergency department. They felt the ground shake beneath them, both women gasping as screams were now heard from within the hospital. Athenacia grabbed her friend and yanked her to the door, making a beeline for it. They stayed out of the main trail of the masses, as her hazel eyes scanned the area, however, she could see dreadnaughts making their way toward the magical barrier. There weren't enough for an invasion, simply enough to take down the one section of the city and reduce it to rubble.

Her jaw set, she began to make her way toward the Citadel, pulling Tash along with her. As they got a block away from the hospital, they stopped dead in their tracks. Athenacia's hazel eyes widened in fear, as shards of the magical barrier began to fall toward her, the grip on Tash tightened as the very thing protecting them shattered like a piece of thin glass. Each piece fell and began to hit them - though it did no physical harm to any of them, it still felt like a knife cutting through her skin as it shattered upon reaching her. It left them completely exposed, those dreadnaughts could now attack the city without a problem.

And they wasted no time in doing so.

The city streets beneath them shook, pushing the two women to the ground as MagiTek troopers began their descent into the city. People were screaming as they ran every which way in a complete panic and not knowing where to go. Athenacia pulled Tash up and unsheathed her weapon just in case. It was a modified gladius, something she hadn't held in ages. The blade itself had a purple tinge to it, not completely straight; it curved, widening at the end while it also had teeth on the top and a strangely arched hook at the end. It was made for lingering damage coming out more so than going in. The hilt was a bit smaller, customized to fit in her hand, a guard for her fingers as she clutched it with all of her might. Despite the lack of use it still felt as an extension of her right arm, natural, like she had never put it down. It was sharp, something easily learned when she had cut through a MagiTek trooper that had fallen in their path. Another few dropped down in front of them and she swung her blade, careful not to hit Tash. The other trooper was a bit far so she utilized her borrowed magic, happy that it was still at her command - because if she could still use the magic it meant that the source of it was still alive. That was the only way to gauge anything while she was stuck here on the outside.

Her head snapped toward another hoard of screaming citizens. They were running toward her, some of them falling to the ground unable to avoid the gunfire. Athenacia pushed Tash to the ground, out of harms way before darting to the source of the disturbance. Slicing through one trooper, she ducked under another as she easily threw her body with one hand on the ground behind the last three. In one swift move, she cut through one and halfway through another, yanking her weapon out of the metal body and held up her other hand, blasting the last two with fire. The girl bolted toward the last one, chopping through it while she made her way back to Tash. There were more troopers back at the location of the resident nurse. They fired their guns and Athenacia put up a shield before projecting lightning, taking them all out. A scowl on her face, she scanned the area quickly for her friend. Her heart stopped, eyes widening as she slowly walked toward a pile of rubble that wasn't there when she left. Her grip tightened on the gladius as she slowly approached the area. Screams of terror surrounded her, the ground quaking beneath her but she pressed on. Once she closed the distance, her fears were confirmed and tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the older woman crushed, blunt force trauma to the head and eyes wide open, lifeless.

Athenacia dropped to her knees as her tears fell. Only Tash's head, neck and right shoulder could be seen underneath the very large pieces of the building above them. The doctor put her two fingers on the woman's neck, knowing she wouldn't find a pulse but feeling compelled to try anyway. It felt like a blow as a wail escaped her lips. There was no heartbeat, this woman who looked after her for years inside her job was dead. This was her fault, she shouldn't have left her. It was stupid, she was trying to avoid this exact situation. Useless in the end, who was she kidding anyway?

Suddenly, she screamed out as a bullet hit the back of her left forearm. Athenacia grunted, seething as she observed her wound quickly. Clean shot, good. Her eyes ablaze, she swiftly rose to her feet and assessed the situation. Four troopers, three more on the left. She didn't even bother with her weapon. Fire in one hand and lightning in the other, she shot her attack with a vengeance. They were down instantly, no longer causing her a problem. The girl darted into an alleyway, away from the main street commotion and dropped to one knee while sheathing her weapon across her back that hung diagonally between her shirt and the bag she wore. There was no time to dress this, she had to find Cor right away. Drawing in a large breath, she held her right hand over the wound with a focused look on her face. As always, the gold lights that emanated from her magic engulfed the desired target and she watched as it healed itself and then stopped, standing up. Athenacia couldn't do that often or she would wear herself out. Rising to her feet, she unsheathed her gladius once more and quickly made her way toward the Citadel in search of the Marshal.

...

With the wall gone and the dreadnaughts inside, it was very evident that this was part of the plan. Along her path, Athenacia saw in horror that the crystal was being confiscated from the Citadel and into a nearby airship. That didn't bode well for anyone. If there was one thing she knew about the line of Lucis, it was that the crystal was the very thing that was keeping all of them safe. Take that away and... well who knew what would happen? She didn't plan on sticking around to find out.

Athenacia crept toward her destination, taking out as many troopers as she could in order to save the scared citizens. The once tall and peaceful city was in a frenzy, everyone trying to get out all at the same time. They were scared and dying along the way. The doctor could no longer see the tall building of the hospital, only saw the damage done the Citadel. Most of their efforts were focused in the main square of the city, which unfortunately was where most of the citizens actually were. The outlying neighbourhoods were being ignored and she wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not. Obviously, Niflheim was trying to send a message of some sort. Athenacia was almost at the Citadel limits and noticed that only more devastation was surrounding her as she approached. Human and trooper soldiers alike were attacking everyone and everything. Where was the Glaive? Now it didn't matter, the Crownsguard having their hands full. Carefully she stepped out of the safety of the shadows, charging with her weapon toward a struggling guard that was trying to evacuate a little girl and her mother. Athenacia took out the trooper and sliced off the human soldier. The guard nodded at her as he directed the civilian.

"Where's the Marshal?" she demanded of him.

"Inside!" he pointed towards the east wing.

Athenacia nodded at him and took off in that direction. Everything in her vision was blue as she only had one target in her wake. If she knew Cor, he would be trying to make his way into the Citadel and get to the King. She had to catch him beforehand, pumping her legs as fast as they would go while avoiding any enemies along her path. Bullets grazed her along the way, mostly focused on the guards that were trying to neutralize them. Athenacia only stopped to help those that were severely outnumbered and even then it was for only a moment. Cor was by himself and ready to ascend the steps into the main building and fighting off a wave of MagiTek troopers. Athenacia had to stop them, summoning her borrowed magic to thin out some of the extras and even out the odds while she plunged into battle. His light blue eyes met her briefly as she scurried towards him. Crouching down, her gladius whipping through the air effortlessly as it took out one trooper and then another before she launched herself into the air so that she was by the Marshal's side. They finished off the last of the soldiers and she breathed a huge sigh of relief, her heart was hammering in her chest.

"Stupid old man, you know that you're not actually immortal right?" she turned to him.

"What are you still doing here?" he barked at her.

"You're welcome," she scoffed while her eyes scanned the area.

"I told you to be ready to leave!"

"You also told me to be on standby if you needed me. Well, here I am!"

The Immortal only scowled at her, unable to say anything to that. Athenacia was right and he knew it because he would have done the same thing. Frowning, he looked toward the door of the Citadel and knew that there was no way he going to get to the King. Cor couldn't risk her life so it was best if they left while they still could. The girl matched his stare and awaited his instruction, her pink scrubs covered in dust and blood. Some of it was her own but most of it belonged to people she had encountered along the way since Tash was killed. Cor began to lead her away from the Citadel and toward one of the evacuation points to get them safely out. The dreadnaughts were closing in, causing more destruction in their path as they came. More troopers dropped down and more debris flew in the air - only to fall to the ground with their gravitational pull. The doctor was almost thrown from her feet as the ground beneath her shook with multiple impacts and points of attack above her.

"Cia look out!" bellowed Cor.

Athenacia gasped, looking up and seeing one of the smaller airships crash into one of the taller buildings of the Citadel. The debris was making its way towards them quickly. Doing a doubt take, she thought she saw a strange flash of blue and white above them but Cor had tackled her down, pulling her as far away from the danger as possible and using his body to shield her. The man grunted in pain above her, completely tense and instantly she put a hand to his chest in an attempt to soothe his pain with her healing magic. The Marshal moved shortly after looking mostly unharmed at what had befallen them. He nodded at her and they began to run toward one of the evacuation points.

There were more MT's in their path and they didn't hesitate to cut them down. Most of the civilians were gone now, only Niflheim forces and dreadnaughts above them causing as much devastation in their wake as possible. They were stuck in the plaza, as trooper after trooper dropped down to try and take them out. Athenacia slashed, she kicked, she flipped, she utilized her close range fighting skills. It was lucky that she had done so much training under the man beside her or else she was sure their moves would be sloppy at best. Even with their quick precision, they were still suffering minor wounds here and there. It just seemed to never end. The physician looked up and noted the dreadnaught above them releasing the never-ending waves of their enemies. Setting her jaw, she neutralized two troopers in front of her and held up her hand to shoot lightning at the dreadnaught - but nothing happened. Frowning, she tried it again. Still nothing. Growling she slicing another trooper behind her and found her way closer to Cor. The man was a blur with his attacks but she wasn't trying to follow his movements at all. Athenacia grunted in pain at getting hit before twirling and finishing off what was in front of them.

"Can't you fry them?!" demanded Cor.

"My magic isn't working!" she yelled at him, bracing herself or another wave.

"What?!"

"It won't work I already tried!"

The dark look on his face told her exactly what she had suspected. If her magic was no longer working then it could only mean one thing; King Regis was dead. The very man who had kept this city safe with his own magic and life force was no more, and there was no time to mourn. Fresh enemies dropped down to their level, getting ready to be pushed away by two very angry people. Cor Leonis could only feel that he had failed in his duty to his King, therefore, the wrath he unleashed was unlike anything she had ever seen before. While she was adept enough it still had been many years since she had walked away from the fighting. He was much older than and still fought, still trained and still had his edge without an issue. Athenacia could hardly keep up with him, could barely move while he took out the enemies near her. In this light of devastation with the scowl on his face and weapon in hand, she saw for the first time ever: Cor the Immortal.

It was only briefly as an inhuman scream reached her ears. Her head whipped to the source her hazel eyes widening in fear. From a dying dreadnaught came purple tentacles in the distance as it slowly fell and crashed into a stream of tall buildings in the distance. Although there was an explosion that ensued shortly after, that scream roared off from the source and she knew that the daemon was still alive. Fear gripped her heart as it raced within her, breathing heavily while her right hand began to shake. She looked around in a haze at everything around her, barely hearing Cor call out to her as he fought off more troopers.

Athenacia was filled with rage at the sight before her. The daemon was here, had come to take her home from her. She wanted to run but she couldn't, because if she ran then Crowe wouldn't get justice. Crowe, who gave her life as a Glaive to try and save her home, save the world from the Empire, who lied dead because of her own people. Where was her justice? Tash, a simple civilian who gave her life as a nurse to help people in need. People she didn't know, people who treated her like garbage and never appreciated the number of hours, blood and sweat a nurse put into her shift. Where was her justice? King Regis, who gave his life for years in order to maintain a peace and help his people live. A man who was killed by his own people after years of protecting them. Where was his justice? For all the lives lost to these monsters, some she knew and some she didn't. Where was their justice?

Her jaw set and vengeance in her hazel eyes, she tightened her hold on her gladius and began to journey toward the daemon. Athenacia sliced through anything on her way, seeing nothing but the path she set upon.

"Cia!" Cor called after her.

But she ignored him like she couldn't hear him at all. The Marshal began to run after her, only to be stopped by a very large dreadnaught that crashed in his way. He growled as troopers began to exit the airship and bar his path.


	22. Insomnia Falls

Athenacia ran as fast as her body would carry her toward a pile of fallen dreadnaughts. Troopers barred her path, human and machine alike, however, every blow only invigorated her. Taking them out only ensured that they weren't out wreaking havoc on other innocent people. The former Glaive could only really see a blind rage within her as she passed them all. Heavy breaths fell from her lungs, finally taking a moment to catch up to where she was. Cor was far behind her and there was no need to worry; he could take care of himself. Athenacia had to leave him behind, had to finish this. There was no other option. This was the only way to silence the protests of her guilty conscious.

The sun was beginning to set and she knew what that meant: daemons would be out. Without King Regis to stand against them with the magical wall and the crystal, they were free to invade the city. The Empire enjoyed using them anyway, something Athenacia remembered vividly from her war days. Sighing, there was still a long way to go before she reached the daemon. There seemed to be nothing but obstacles in her way and it only enraged her. Dreadnaughts above were focused on a specific target, placed in a tactical assault and she ran into fewer and fewer troopers the further away she drew from their prey. The devastation around her was unbelievable; she wished that she was having one of her nightmares and that this wasn't really happening, however, the pain in her body told her otherwise. Athenacia's pink scrubs were coated in blood and dust, and she was sure her hair was covered in it as well. The doctor was also positive that her left upper arm was near fractured and that her left tibia was bruised. Thankfully she had thought to pack potions and it was probably the only reason she could keep going at this point - that and the adrenaline from all the fighting she had done today.

Once she turned the corner of the street she was walking down, she was stopped dead in her tracks by someone most unexpected. Libertus, his back turned toward her in a string of dead bodies and debris. Athenacia was about to call out to him when an unfamiliar voice sounded in her ears. It was a sound she had never heard before, but she knew the name. Everyone knew the name, it was whispered on the lips of Insomnians and other territories in fear at the dead of night.

"This is Glauca. King Regis is dead. The ring is on its way to section D. We must recover the ring to realize our goal. If Ulric or the Princess get in the way, take them out. Reclaim our hearth and home," said Glauca.

It was evident that his voice was coming out of a radio.

"Hearth and home?" she heard Libertus repeat those words.

Titus Drautos, the only one who ever used that line. He was General Glauca? He was the mole? How did no one realize this until now? This entire time he was spying on them, spying on all of them.

"Libertus, come in," she snapped her attention back to the scene in front of her, "Where are you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he grunted at them.

"On the way back to base now. We need you to head to the junction in section D. We're gonna join up with another unit and make a clean sweep of the place. We're one step away from realizing this revolution. Let's not let Pruvia's death be in vain. We'll be waiting for you, hero."

The transmission ended. Rage was bubbling within her as everything she had heard turned in her head. Athenacia clenched her weapon in one hand, ready to strike him.

"Libertus," she said his name in disgust. The man spun around, his face growing shocked as his eyes landed on her, "What have you done?" she asked in horror.

"Cia..." he was at a loss for words, "You don't understand... You were there, they killed Crowe!"

"Luche killed Crowe. But this..." she gestured towards the bodies contorted in death around them. The fallen debris of the once fair and peaceful city, "This... this chaos. This is all on you."

His face was riddled with guilt and he looked down at his feet. The girl couldn't believe what she was seeing. Had the treaty really torn everything apart? Or was this the plan from the start? Ulric and the Princess. Nyx and Lunafreya, they were headed for a trap. Athenacia had to find them, had to warn them of what was to come. Libertus looked up at her once more, his eyes glistening with tears. Evidently he now felt remorse for what he had done, but it wasn't enough.

It wouldn't undo what had happened here.

"I hope you can live with yourself after this," she spat coldly, before turning her back and walking away.

Section D, it would take her a while to get there, but if she had any hope of doing any good here then she had no choice but to make it. With any luck, she would see Luche there and finally have her vengeance for what he did to Crowe.

...

Why didn't she just take a car? Right, because that would have been far too easy. Night had settled in on her journey and her prediction about daemons invading the city was right. The original reason she was out on her own in the first place, the large tentacled daemon that had crash-landed in an airship was still unseen but she knew the location and would go take care of it after she was done helping Nyx. He may very well be the last of her friends left alive, the last one that was fighting for the right side. She scoffed at her own thoughts as she pressed on.

Her gladius was still in her hand tightly. Athenacia had been fortunate not to run into anything overpowering. One swipe and they were dead, scrubs not the best armour, however, she had no time to go and change. Plenty of time for that when she defeated her enemies and made her way out of the city. With less to distract her, fatigue was able to settle its way into her bones, the girl barely sleeping in the last two days and had hardly stopped moving - just like when she was a Glaive that fought in the war. No matter how hard she tried running away from that life, it was hot on her heels, following her to the brink of oblivion it seemed.

The screeching of tires in the distance, followed by a loud crash snapped her awake and immediately she began to run to the source of the noise. Athenacia was still a long way off, a scream echoing into her ears. Now more than ever she wished she had the King's magic, not that she warped all that often but it sure felt a lot faster than what she was doing now. The girl ran as fast as her feet would carry her, finally reached section D with her eyes widening upon the scene before her. Libertus was reaching toward Nyx, who was on the ground with Lady Lunafreya behind him. Her arm was up in defence, while Titus Drautos, General Glauca, was swinging his massive sword down for the killing blow.

"Nyx!" Athenacia shouted as loud as she could.

But the Glaive didn't seem to hear her. The physician watched in horror as the massive blade was coming down upon him and the Oracle and despite that she readied her weapon, she wasn't completely certain about what she was going to do. Hopefully her aim was still as deadly as it used to be, a silent prayer in her head as she prepared herself. Just as she was about to launch, a shield erected around them which threw Glauca off as Nyx used lightning to blow away his enemy. Athenacia's eyes widened at what she was seeing. He still had the King's magic? Now wasn't the time, as she made her way over toward them without another second thought. Libertus had also come to stand beside Lady Lunafreya, as Nyx was on his feet. The three of them watched her as she approached.

"Cia," Libertus still kept the guilt in his voice from their previous encounter.

"What are you still doing here?" asked Nyx almost in shock.

"I was coming to warn you, but luckily someone else made it here first," she smiled at Libertus.

"I'm sorry," said Libertus.

"Don't be," replied Nyx, "You saved me. Now I owe you."

"For a change," the large man smirked.

Nyx returned the smirk, "I'm gonna need another favour. Meet Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, our Prince's beloved bride-to-be. She has the future of the world in her hands. Keep her safe, get her out of Insomnia."

Libertus nodded at his friend before Nyx turned towards the Princess.

"Oh, I almost forgot. You'll need this," said Nyx, handing her a very small object. Athenacia frowned in thought, obviously missing something here, "Give Prince Noctis my regards. Libertus will take care of you from here. Have a safe journey, your Highness."

"Nyx!" Athenacia shouted at him in alarm, frowning.

"What will come of you?" asked Lunafreya

"What the hell are you doing?" demanded Libertus.

"Following the King's orders," replied Nyx.

"I will see the ring to Noctis," said Lunafreya, "The future will be safe. I swear it."

Libertus held out his weapon to his friend, however, the Glaive just shrugged it off.

"Planning on punching your way out of the city? Keep it. Now we're even."

"No," replied Libertus fiercely, "We'll settle up once you're back in Galahd. Me and everyone else will be waiting for you."

Nyx smiled, "I'm counting on you... Hero. All of you, get going."

Libertus and Lady Lunafreya began to walk toward the car that wasn't damaged, one of official Lucian royalty. Athenacia remained, staring at Nyx still intently. The man met her gaze and only smirked, fingertips absently running over his knuckles. The doctor wondered what he had done, how he was wielding the King's magic while he was dead - though was desperately trying to ignore the real answer in the back of her mind.

"You're not going to make it out alive, are you?" she asked finally.

"No, I'm not," he replied.

Athenacia sighed heavily, her grip on her weapon lost completely. It fell to the ground with a  _clang_ but it was far from her ears as his hands came to rest upon her shoulders. There was nowhere to look but his face, all the memories of their youth flashing before her eyes. The smile he was giving her, she remembered seeing it for the first time and how it made her feel. Even now, after all this time, it had the same effect on her. Nyx placed a gentle, lingering kiss to her forehead and tears welled up at the bottom of her eyes. Athenacia broke then, hugging him close and letting herself sob once she felt his own arms come around her. Eyes squeezed shut, her body shook slightly with her own whimpers, unable to believe that this was the last time she was ever going to see him. She had lost so much already.

"You were right," he whispered.

The girl tensed, opening her eyes. The way he was speaking, so tender like the way he used to when they once were close, it made her draw in a quivering breath in a poor attempt to compose herself. To get lost in the past... well, that would be a fleeting dream.

"About what?" she asked.

"It just wasn't meant to be. The timing was never right."

Athenacia almost laughed at how stupid it was for him to bring that up right now, "Shut up," she told him, holding him tighter.

Nyx ran a hand through her hair, not even commenting on the tangles and allowed them to finish their moment. Another kiss was placed at the top of her head and it was then she begrudgingly pulled away from him, offering him a weak smile while he gingerly rubbed her tears away, holding her gaze as he did so. Nyx was looking at her the exact same way as he did all those years ago before they parted ways, she remembered it all so well and how she hated herself for what happened. Absently, her fingers came to curl around his wrists as he continued to cup her cheeks with his hands, thumbs wiping any fresh tears that escaped her. It was like nothing had changed, even in this dire moment.

"I hope that guy looks out for you," he said finally, voice still as soothing as ever, "And I hope you let him."

Athenacia scoffed as another tear fell down her cheek. She was about to open her mouth to respond but nothing she said would have been heard. The moment was lost, the two of them hearing a roar in the distance. The pair of glowing red eyes, the ones she as chasing in the beginning, it was close.

"Ultros," said Nyx in disgust.

"I'll handle him," she replied, her eyes distant as she stared in that direction. Athenacia turned back to face him, "You take care of yourself, even if you plan on dying."

The Glaive nodded at her, placing a hand on her shoulder, however, their moment was short lived once more as Glauca began to stir. This wasn't her fight, she would leave him to it. Athenacia caught sight of Lunafreya and Libertus reaching the car they were going to use to get out of the city. Immediately she raced toward them, reaching the Princess just before she was about to get into the vehicle. Lady Lunafreya looked at the young doctor curiously.

"I know you have a duty to the Prince, but could you please do me a small favour?" asked Athenacia tentatively.

"Anything you need," the Oracle nodded.

The physician reached into her pocket, pulling out a silver chain. It was the necklace she usually wore, a disc with a tree inside of it. This was her only real keepsake, something that she had since she was a child. Truth be told, she didn't think she would make it out of the city either, so she placed the necklace in the hand of the Oracle, sighing as she did so.

"When you find the Prince, he'll have companions. Give this to the biggest one and tell him I'm sorry," instructed Athenacia gravely.

Lunafreya looked at the girl sadly, nodding once at her, "I'll see that it is done."

"Thank you."

"You're not coming, Cia?" asked Libertus, almost in shock.

She shook her head, "No," she answered, looking over at Ultros, "I've got some unfinished business. Safe journey," and she took off toward her target without another look back.

...

Athenacia was positively exhausted, head in a haze and magic no longer able to heal her after the day she had. The burning flesh of the deceased all around invaded her nostrils, ears ringing with the destruction of her home at the hands of Niflheim and their daemons. Whatever Nyx had planned, she hoped that it was enough. The roar of her enemy closing in on her position had her head to the heavens, nothing but black smoke and flames greeting the night sky and wishing to bring a tear to her eye. Purple tentacles came to engulf everything they ran across, destroying with every touch. The beast was injured that much was for certain, even a daemon wouldn't be able to escape an airship crash unscathed. Exhaling deeply, she was closing in on its location. The tremors beneath her feet were getting stronger, increasing their pace as she ran to her destination.

The girl had to keep going, throwing herself to the ground, finally reaching her target and narrowly dodging a thick purple tentacle. The wind raged against her skin, keeping her on the ground as she hastily took the bag off of her back and shot to her feet. Jaw set, Athenacia charged toward Ultros, the daemon that was destroying her home and constantly haunted her nightmares. Dodging another tentacle, she whipped around and struck the third that was coming for her. The gladius was stuck partially against the thick armoured skin; so when the tentacle moved it pulled the blade with her attached to it. Ultros shrieked as she was flung around like a piece of trash, keeping a death grip on her weapon while detaching it from the tentacle and falling quickly to the ground. Her entire body was rigid, bracing herself for pain and sticking her gladius straight into another approaching tentacle. The whip from her body suddenly changing directions nearly broke her arm but she pushed through it and waited until she was closer to the ground. Yanking again on the weapon, she was pulled free and tried to aim for one of those glowing red eyes. Ultros roared and knocked her back before she could make contact. Athenacia let out a large cough as the wind was taken from her from impact to the streets of Insomnia.

With her head in a haze, she rose to her feet slowly. That inhuman scream reached her ears, nearly deafening her. Weapon in hand, she pursued the creature and attempted again to do some sort of damage to it. It was so much bigger, more powerful than the last time she had faced it years ago in the war. Athenacia was also much weaker than before and knew that there was no way she could win. So be it. As her attempts grew more persistent, she was only getting more and more injured. She had to fight consciousness with the last hit, her body making an indent with the force used to drive her away.

Athenacia gasped for breath, trying to will the air into her lungs. A rushing in her ears took over anything else she was meant to hear and everything started to have a red tinge to it. Eyes scanned over the destruction around her, wheezing breaths keeping her conscious though just barely. The once tall buildings of Insomnia were dwindling down, bodies strewn all over the streets and flooded with debris. More dreadnaughts made their appearance, following in the wake of another red-eyed daemon bringing devastation. The diamond weapon, the one that defeated her years ago and the Glaives before a treaty was even thought into existence. But it was being detained by a force like nothing she had seen before. Blinking hard, it was familiar blue sort of flash. Athenacia blinked again and everything turned red once more. On the third one, she knew it was Nyx and she knew that she had to help him. If Ultros got anywhere near that battle, he would surely lose. Her skin was beginning to burn, body spent and refusing to move from its spot no matter how much she willed it to. As everything had finally settled on red, she managed to twitch her finger. That was a start. Taking another rasping breath, she blinked her eyes. Still her vision was stuck in red but it was enough to bend her knee so that her foot was flat on the ground. Every movement was nothing but pain, however, she had no choice, she had to get up and fight. Screams of past comrades and civilians reached her ears, causing her to blink again, taking in another breath. Her other knee bent and she put her foot flat on the ground.

The doctor willed herself to move, the cries of the beast before her getting ready to kill her. There was no way she was going to take this lying down, even as her skin continued to burn and in agony, she slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her eyes were glossed over as she could hardly process what was going on, just knew that she had to stand. Tears began to well up within her eyes at the pain she felt with every shallow breath she took in, crying out when she pushed herself to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her at the sheer weight of herself. Everything was that same burning red that she could see, almost like she was within a dream. Her body was persisting with agony as the tears started to fall. Her skin was on fire it felt like and everything only grew redder and redder. Athenacia felt a tentacle on her back, trying to push her down and cried out at the impact, but her voice was drowned out with the wail of pain that emanated from Ultros. Breath heavy in her own ears, she struggled to stay on her feet, hardly able to lift her hands to block any more attacks even though none came.

Doubling over and hugging herself, tears poured freely down her face while her skin only grew hotter and hotter as the seconds passed. Athenacia whimpered, terrified at what was happening to her. Ultros, the purple tentacled daemon with many teeth and glowing red eyes was unable to grab her but persisted his attack anyway. Her body writhed in agony at all the abuse it had taken since the fighting broke out. The inhuman scream of the daemon attacking her sounded in her ears and she managed to crane her neck up, looking at the oncoming attack.

Her skin only burned hotter as she braced herself for impact. This was it, the end of her journey. After all she had been through she was actually welcoming death, she would finally be able to rest peacefully. Memories of all the people she was close to raced by in her mind, of Tash and Crowe that didn't deserve to die so suddenly, of Gin, who was safe in Lestallum now and would have her baby. Athenacia regretted that she would never meet the ginger-haired woman's child but at least it would be safe, have a chance at life. She thought of Nyx who was giving his life to make sure the daemons were subdued just like she was, of Cor, the man who pulled her from the orphanage and stood by her side her entire life. The man who raised her and taught her to fight, the first person ever in her life to notice her existence. Finally, she thought of Gladiolus. More tears streamed down her cheeks as the memories she shared with him clouded her mind, their relationship and how he made her feel stung into her bones no matter how much she tried to forget him. At least her last moments weren't spent alone and bitter.

The deafening scream of Ultros sounded in her ears once more. Athenacia wailed at her own loss and hoped that she would no longer feel any pain. Her legs were trembling beneath her as she could feel him closing in on her. She did everything she could, at least she felt that way as she hugged herself tighter. A gasp erupted from her lips when her body felt completely aflame, seeing an azure glow start to form on her skin. The tension built up within her, an undying need of power trying to burst its way out. Athenacia couldn't, had no idea who was still near this area, however, she couldn't hold it long, her body weak from all the fighting. The gust of Ultros bearing down upon her, grazed her skin, reminding her of what she had to do.

That was when she started to scream. Athenacia felt her throat hoarse as her cry pierced any and all that could hear it. The azure glow that surrounded her released in a burst of power unknown. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks as her mouth projected her howl. It echoed throughout the city and the azure dome that came from her flew out slowly, incinerating anything that touched it. The trail of destruction ranged wider and higher than ever before. Ultros was no more and neither was anything else in its path. The buildings that surrounded her, the enemies, the dead bodies all disintegrated into dust while she still wailed.

Then there was silence. Athenacia began to sob once it was all over, holding herself tightly while her body quivered. Her head was hit with a wave of dizziness and she struggled to stay conscious. The gravity weighed upon her, arms dropping from her abdomen and shoulders completely slumping. She couldn't fall,, she could  _not_  fall. The girl forced her eyes open, seeing nothing but glowing embers in front of her. Weakly, she took a step forward, only to stumble and have her body give out entirely - but she didn't hit the ground like she had expected. Someone had reached from behind and caught her shoulders, holding her up effortlessly.

"You survived," it was a man with a thick accent and an amused voice, one she didn't' recognize, "I must say that was a good show," he complimented her.

Athenacia tried to form words but nothing would come out. There was no way to relinquish herself from his hold, far too weak. The stranger forcefully whirled her body around so that she was facing him. Again, she attempted to defend herself but only ended up falling into the mysterious man's chest. A light chuckle at her feeble protests of his person was felt against her cheek. He held an arm around her shoulders while her head flopped around with her inability to hold it up on her own. The lack of willpower made it so that she didn't even react the way she wanted to when she felt her feet lift off the air as his other arm held her up by her knees.

"You just keep amazing me as time goes on. Turning up in places I never thought you'd be," he purred, looking down at her.

Hazel eyes were glazed over, but she tried to focus on the person. Her skin crawled at his touch and she couldn't will her body to move much any more than it already was. Grunting, she narrowed her eyes as she tried to get them to focus on his face. He was wearing a hat, his hair longer and reflecting in the flames with a violet ting, amber eyes were amused as they regarded her.  _Evil_  was all she could think as she looked into them. This was not someone she wanted to be near her whatsoever.

"Who are you?" she croaked out weakly.

"I've been many people. But today, my dear, I am your saviour," he smiled brightly at her.

"No," she protested, out of breath.

Athenacia brought her left hand to push him away from her, wanting desperately to free herself of his grasp. It was to no avail, her body so frail after everything that happened. There was simply no strength left in her, no longer even able to fight with herself to stay conscious as her head drooped one final time and the darkness took over. Her head hit his chest, her body going completely limp as she passed out in the arms of a man unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have always been partial to Ultros, one of my all-time favourite recurring villains in FF. I absolutely loved him in FF6 which is actually still my most favourite game in the world today. Thank you all so much for reading, the kudos, all of it. You're all awsome!


	23. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for reading, all the kudos, everything! words cannot express my gratitude

Gladiolus flopped onto the bed with a light sigh. The four boys were in the very lavish hotel of Galdin Quay, ready to settle in for the night. The room was extremely spacious, two large beds against one of the walls. There was a small sitting area on the other side and Gladiolus had purposely picked the bed closest to the window, because the entire wall on the outside was a window that faced the ocean. Even as he looked at it with the setting sun on the other side of Eos he could still feel good about it. The outdoors were much more preferred, however, having a nice soft bed under him was a bit of a relief as well. Shoes were kicked off his feet before he rolled onto his side, facing the wall of window. Stars began to make their appearance as the water was reflecting the dark sky above it, the island in the distance was turning into a shadow in the growing darkness. Gladio rubbed his eyes as the events of the day starting to weigh in on him, feeling movement beside him and turned to see Prompto had also happily plopped down on the bed.

"This is what I'm talking about," said the gunman with a heavy sigh of relief.

Prompto had his limbs spread out as far as he could on his own side as he laid on his back. His eyes were closed and there was a content look on his face as his head sunk into the pillow. Gladiolus turned his attention back toward the window.

"I've had better," remarked Noctis as he collapsed on the other bed.

"Then maybe you should spend more nights on the ground," grumbled Gladiolus.

"I'll pass."

"I agree with Noct. Nothing like a soft bed," said Prompto.

Gladio scoffed, pulling out his phone. He hadn't checked it all day, far too busy fighting and running errands. While he enjoyed hunting for the locals but he was more focused on finishing up a favour for Dino, and finally, in the morning they would be making their way to Altissia in order to have a royal wedding. In truth, he was looking forward to seeing more of Eos while he could. Ignis had even described Altissia as the most beautiful city in the world, and if Gladiolus liked it he was thinking of trying to coerce Athenacia into stopping by there on their journey. That was, if she had even wanted to go with him.

Unlocking his phone screen he could see that he had a few missed messages, one missed call and one voicemail. Iris had sent him plenty of text messages asking about their trip so far and how Noctis was doing. It was his own fault that she was pestering him about the Prince since he was adamant that she doesn't call him about anything. The Shield gave her a quick response to settle her down a little bit before tensing slightly when he came across his missed call. It was from Athenacia, very early this morning. She had left him a voicemail. That same anxiety teased him as he stared at the screen, the one from last night he was ignoring and he knew couldn't listen to it here - not with these three nosy children eavesdropping. Gladio rose from the bed with his phone in hand and looked around. Ignis was sitting on the couch with one of Athenacia's large medical texts in his lap. Noctis and Prompto were happily chattering about the upcoming journey to Altissia. Sneaking away wasn't an option and there was no way he could just sit in the bathroom the entire time. There was no help for it, he would have to go somewhere outside of the room in order to hear the message. If he wanted to hear it. Hopefully, it was more of a positive note.

"I'm gonna get some air," he said casually, walking out of the room without waiting for a response.

"He didn't take his shoes," noted Prompto once the door had closed.

"Seriously?" Noctis sat up to look.

Once he saw for himself he laughed, falling back into the bed.

Prompto joined him in laughter, "He's a wreck."

"Yep. Think he's in love."

"Say that when he's in the room."

Noctis grinned, "Maybe I will."

...

Gladiolus padded in his socked feet out of the hotel room and down the hallway. Eyes still on the phone screen, he made his way past the restaurant and turned toward the docks. Either he was lucky not to bump into anyone, or people just moved out of his way, finally stepping down onto the floating wooden planks. Taking a quick look, he turned the corner and walked all the way to the end where no one was standing. The sound of waves crashing against the dock filled his ears as the chilly sea breeze blew across his skin. Down the shore further was the fishing post that Noctis spent too much time at today.

Exhaling, he finally swiped his phone to his voicemail and waited patiently to hear it. A grin occupied his face at the sound of her voice. Athenacia was a little nervous sounding, but overall her thoughts weren't nearly as scattered as he was when he had called her. The Shield felt a little guilty for worrying her but overall was happy that she had responded so positively to his feeble attempt at apologizing to her. As he reached the end of the message he let out a small huff of a laugh, replaying it once more and trying to think of what to say to her. He decided to just send her a text instead, not wanting to risk the chance of waking her up.

_We head for Altissia in the morning. Call me when you can. 'Night Doc._

That was satisfying enough. Although he wasn't sure what to say to her in the slightest, he knew that he had to actually converse with her in order to see where they stood with each other. It wasn't discouraging in the slightest that she hadn't answered him. At this hour she could be saving lives or trying to catch some sleep. If she had replied once, she would do so again, he wasn't going to rush her, unwilling to damage their relationship further. Whatever it was, he knew he wanted to repair it and hopefully before the royal wedding was over.

Gladiolus put his phone in his pocket and began to walk back to the hotel. There was a slight bounce in his step and a smile plastered on his face as he made the small trek from the end of the dock and into the hotel. He opened the door to the room they were staying in, stopping to frown a bit at Noctis and Prompto who were staring at him with grins on their faces. Ignis was still reading the book on his lap, having not moved an inch since he left. Gladio smirked as he crossed his heavily tattooed arms over his chest.

"What?" he challenged them.

"Strike out big guy?" asked Prompto.

"Does it look like I struck out?"

"What'd she say?" asked Noctis.

"Doesn't matter," he shrugged.

"She turned you down? Ice cold..." teased Prompto.

"Did you actually talk to her?" asked Noctis, ignoring Prompto.

"I don't see that this is any of your business," replied Gladiolus.

"That's a no."

"Ah, so either way I lose," said Prompto sadly.

"I must say I'm rather curious. How did the good doctor react?" asked Ignis, not even raising his eyes from his book.

Gladiolus shrugged, "She left a message."

"Saying?" Prompto was on the edge of his seat.

"She's into it."

Noctis and Prompto groaned in frustration at that. Prompto dramatically took the look of someone who was stabbed in the abdomen before falling back on the bed. The Prince just put an arm under his head as he stared at the ceiling of the hotel room. Gladiolus raised a brow at them, confused.

"Specs wins it again," grumbled Noctis.

"It appears fortune is my friend. I seem to be on a winning streak," said Ignis lightly, still reading.

"Better quit while you're ahead, Iggy," warned Prompto

"He's just saying that so you'll stop beating him," scoffed Noctis.

"Perhaps getting some rest would do us all good. We have a long journey in the morning," replied Ignis a little smugly.

Gladiolus huffed, ignoring them and walking back to his bed. The shirt he was wearing was quickly removed and discarded to the nearest chair before flopping onto the mattress with his back towards Prompto. Whatever these idiots were up to he didn't care, knowing that the communication between him and Athenacia was finally reestablished. Keeping his gaze on the stars, he decided that tomorrow he was going to find that book she was talking about and have a look through it. With a small smile on his face, he began to doze off despite all the noise around him.

...

Gladiolus was not the first to wake up. He never was. Ignis awake right at the crack of dawn it seemed. He was also usually the one to go to bed last, ensuring that everyone else was taken care of. The Shield had no idea how the man did it but was happy that he did, knowing they would definitely be completely screwed without him. The big man rose from his side of the bed and padded toward the bathroom. Still groggy from sleeping, he ran a hand through his hair and turned on the water in the bathtub. His shower was quick, the steam from the heat barely touching the mirror. Once he was finished, he noted that Ignis had left the room and Prompto was just starting to stir. Gladiolus grabbed his phone and went to sit on the couch, pulling on his shirt and leaving it open. He unlocked his screen and was a little upset to see that there was nothing waiting for him. Athenacia hadn't responded to his message and even Iris had not a word to say to him this morning. Strange, usually his little sister couldn't seem to go an hour without pestering him about something since he had left.

Prompto was the next to wake up though he didn't do so gracefully. Gladiolus put his phone in his pocket and began to pace around the room. The man was never one to sit around waiting, he always had to be doing something. To his surprise, Noctis actually woke up earlier than anticipated. That hint of anxiety that found him this morning seemed to increase, knowing that something was off.

"Heya morning," greeted Prompto.

"Where's specs?" asked Noctis, frowning slightly.

"Should be back any minute now," replied Gladiolus, walking toward the window.

He was really sick of waiting. Finally, Ignis walked back into the room and Gladio instantly sensed that something was wrong, walking over towards his friend. The Adviser only looked over at the Prince, his face heavy with sadness as he held a paper in his hand.

"What's that look for?" asked Noctis.

Gladiolus frowned, reaching his hand out for the paper that Ignis was holding and the bespectacled man regrettably handed it over. The first line made Gladiolus's heart stop. "Insomnia Falls". His frown deepened as his eyes rolled over the inked words.

"It's in all the papers," said Ignis sadly.

"What is?" asked Noctis.

"'Insomnia Falls'?" Prompto read the headline out loud as Gladiolus was pacing by him.

Noctis gasped, "This your idea of a joke?" he asked hotly.

"I need you to calm down so I can explain," said Ignis gently.

"I'm as calm as I'm gonna get!" he shouted, walking toward his friend.

"There was an attack. The Imperial army has taken the Crown City."

Gladiolus wanted to shake in anger at the words he was reading, "'As treaty room tempers flared, blasts lit the night sky. When the smoke about the Citadel had cleared the King was found dead'," as the words escaped his lips his mind starting to think a million thoughts all at the same time.

Thoughts that he had to put aside. If any of this was true, he had a job to do. Noctis came first.

"No, wait, hold on..." Noctis spoke in almost a broken voice.

"We had no way of knowing," said Ignis sadly.

"What? Knowing what?"

"That the signing was last night, that Insomnia-"

"But the wedding! Altissia!"

"I know, that was the plan," interjected Ignis a little more sternly, "Yet the reports of the invasion are all the same. How could every headline in the Kingdom be wrong?"

"Lies..."

"If only..." Prompto couldn't finish.

Gladiolus read the article three times by now and found nothing different than the first. Putting his arm down, he over at Ignis.

"What else do we know?" the large man tried to keep himself calm as he spoke. Ignis just shook his head at him, the Shield turning his attention away, "Then we can't be sure until we see it with our own eyes."

Can't be sure that his father was okay until he saw the city. Couldn't be sure that Iris was okay until he saw for himself the city. Couldn't be sure that Athenacia was okay until he was there to see it. Gladio had to know and the only way to do that was to see it in person and not read about it nearly a world away.

"And that means we go back to Insomnia," said Prompto.

"Might not be safe for us there," said Ignis.

"Might not be safe for us here!"

"Turn back?" suggested Gladiolus, looking at Noctis.

"Yeah," the Prince agreed.

...

Ignis had managed to make it back to Insomnian lines in record time. As they were approaching the gate, they noted the Empire had set up a blockade for a checkpoint. The appearance of multiple Imperial dreadnaughts in the area was definitely confirming the newspapers report of an invasion. It made Gladiolus tense as they drove. Because of the blockade, they had to go a different route to get a good view of the city. Ignis had detoured away from the main road and onward toward the hill just outside of Insomnia. They had to fight their way over, MagiTek troops scouting the area for hostiles. Gladiolus gladly took out his anger on them. Back in the car, billows of smoke rose from the city, confirming his worst fears. Still, he wanted to get a better view of it like everyone else did. The troopers came in from the sky but were easily taken out by the four of them. It was lucky that their enemy hadn't noticed them so they weren't being overwhelmed. As they came to the lookout point, their pace slowed down considerably. Noctis took the lead while the other three men hung back a little and looked over at the sight before them in utter shock.

Insomnia had indeed fallen. Dreadnaughts flew in toward it, bypassing where the magical barrier used to be. Clouds of smoke heaved upward into the sky in the distance from the destruction of the attack. The Imperial army was crawling all around the city as fog obscured the taller buildings. Gladiolus was sure that there were some missing, trying to keep his vision of what the city looked like but there was no way to remember with what he was seeing. It was hard to see much of the Citadel from here and he knew he wouldn't see his home nor the hospital.

"As to ceasefire discussions between the two nations, all provisional terms have been suspended in light of recent developments," Gladiolus heard Prompto's phone going off and turned his head sharply to look at him. Scowling, his gaze went back to the devastation of his home, "Moreover, in the wake of the news of King Regis's death we've received word that Crown Prince Noctis and Oracle Lunafreya also have been pronounced dead."

That took everyone for a shock. Gladiolus snapped his head toward Prompto as he quickly silenced his phone.

"Leave it on!" he barked at the gunman.

If there was a chance his family was mentioned among the deceased, he wanted to take it.

"Don't bother!" said Noctis in disgust.

Prompto was fumbling around with his device that ended up just falling to the ground anyway. Gladio pulled out his own phone and unlocked his screen. There was still nothing on it, no attempt at contact from anyone. Keeping the scowl on his face, he tried the first person: his father. There was no answer and the Shield wasn't really expecting one. Although he hadn't heard it, he was sure that if King Regis was dead then so was his father; because Clarus Amicitia would have stood by his King and given his life for him in his last moments. That's the man he knew and that's what he had trained his son to do. His next attempt was at Iris. Iris, his younger sister who would have nothing to do with the fighting at all. Iris who he worried about right now more than ever. Her phone was ringing but she wasn't answering it. That scowl deepening, he tried one last time and rage built up within him when again there was no answer.

There was one more person left. With a heavy heart, Gladio clicked on Athenacia's name and waited. He didn't have to wait very long; her phone did not ring it simply went straight to her outgoing voicemail message. The Shield listened to the entire thing and then paused while the phone began to record his message. No words came to him so he hung up the phone. The sound of her voice replayed in his head on a loop, the last words she had spoken to him in a voicemail on his phone. The phone remained clutched in his hand tightly even as his arm dropped to his side as realization dawned on him. This was why she hadn't answered him, why no one had spoken to him this morning. While he was out hunting monsters and running errands with his friends - even goofing off at times - his home was being invaded by his enemy.

More dreadnaughts flew overhead toward the city, bringing with them this feeling of despair in the pit of his stomach. Is this what it felt like? Rage coursed through him. The thought of his father and sister lying somewhere in that destruction dead made him feel so helpless. Even if he was in the city, was there anything he could have done? Gladio wanted to go over there and destroy every last one of them, slowly and in the most painful way possible. So this is what it felt like. This is how it feels when the Empire invades a home and burns it to the ground, forcing people out of it. Now he understood exactly how Athenacia felt and why she was so angry with his ignorant statement.

"Cor?" Noctis spoke on his phone

Gladiolus snapped his head towards the Prince, listening intently to whatever parts of the conversation he could hear. If anyone knew what was going on, it was Cor. The Marshal would have information on the King, on his father and Iris. He would likely know where Athenacia was as well and what the next move was since they couldn't get back into the Crown City. The large man waited until finally, Noctis hung up his phone and put his hand at his side.

"What did the Marshal have to say?" asked Ignis, tentatively.

"Said he'd be in Hammerhead," shrugged Noctis.

Gladiolus took a few steps towards him, "And the King?"

The Prince didn't answer, just kept that same look on his face as his gaze was on his home. Gladio understood the meaning and also turned toward the billows of smoke rising from Insomnia. That sealed the fate of his father. His heart was heavy knowing that his father had passed, however, he could take pride in knowing he gave his life for his King. That was the only death worthy of Amicitia. So now he only had to worry about where Iris had gotten to, hoping she had made it out safely. And Athenacia...

...

Gladiolus kept his gaze distant, his face frowned in thought. Iris had finally gotten back to him while they were on their way to Hammerhead to meet up with Cor. She was safe and on her way to Lestallum with other refugees and that put a lot of his fears to rest. Now he was just worried about one person and while he was in the car the uncertainty of her fate just ate away at him. Phone in hand with the volume up as high as it would go in hopes that he would hear something from her, he was hoping that Cor knew where Athenacia was, that she was with him. Unfortunately, he would have to wait until they actually found him.

The trip to Hammerhead wasn't a long one. Gladiolus was a little discouraged that Cor hadn't stuck around long enough to meet up with them, however, the recent events meant that the Marshal would be a busy man trying to get everything organized. So instead they met with the garage owner, Cid. It was a dark time for all to know that King Regis was dead. Cid took it almost as hard as the rest of them, an old companion of the King. Gladiolus caught a glimpse of a picture the old man kept, a picture that had Cid, King Regis, a man he didn't recognize and his father. That made the Shield frown, wishing he could have known and spoken to Clarus at least one last time before he died.

They left immediately after that. Whatever they needed to continue, they would have to find Cor. Gladiolus had no time to mourn for his father, nor anyone else in the Crown City. He had to focus because that was his job, he was the sworn Shield. While Noctis would try to come to terms with what was happening it meant that he wouldn't be thinking completely straight. His training was done and he was left to utilize all he had learned. No one said it was going to be easy. When they arrived at the hunter outpost North of Hammerhead, Monica was waiting for them. That was a shock for the Shield, Monica was one of his father's trusted comrades. The Crownsguard were mostly diminished but they took great care in getting Iris out safely, that huge weight lifting off his shoulders. The confirmation of losses to the Guard made Gladio's heart heavy. His father had obviously planned for this. Clarus and the King had been expecting an attack - something Cid was sure of - and they took care to get Noctis out of the city before it happened. Gladio was sure if there was a way to get Iris out, then Clarus wouldn't hesitate to do so.

Monica had informed them that Cor was waiting at the royal tomb. The four of them faithfully made their journey toward it, finding the Marshal as patient as he could be just outside of the door. It seemed that the Immortal had some sort of mission for them and it involved setting Noctis on the path to find all of the royal tombs. Gladiolus was almost mesmerized by the power of Kings, happy that the phantom sword didn't cause any pain or issues. He wouldn't be sure how to protect Noctis from his own family like that. However, Cor wasn't done, leading them from the first tomb and then to the mines.

There were MagiTek troopers barring their path. This place used to be inhabited until it was destroyed in battle and taken over by the Empire. Gladiolus noted that there was a wide radius in a perfect circle right in the middle of the ruins. Whatever sort of battle that ensued here caused all this devastation and many casualties. How much had the Empire taken from those around it? Spreading around like a plague of destruction, like locusts that took over everything in their wake. As he fought, the Shield was filled with that rage he felt while observing the home that was taken away from him. When they reached the entrance of the mines, Cor handed Noctis a key and entrusted him to find all the tombs. He would be parting ways with them to conduct his own business. The Marshal stood by the entrance, while Noctis, Prompto and Ignis began their trek to the entrance of the mine. Gladiolus lingered for a moment, looking back at his companions and then walking toward the older man. His approach was tentative at best, Gladio unable to gauge much of Cor's stance on anything.

"You haven't heard anything have you?" asked Cor, turning to face the Shield.

The Shield shook his head no, "No answer."

"Me neither."

That was not the news that Gladiolus wanted to hear, hoping that Cor would have some leads, some sort of inkling that Athenacia had made it out. While he didn't know the nature of their relationship, he knew that Cor was probably the only other person to interact with her outside of the hospital. If only he could read the look on the Marshal's face.

"Did you see her? Before the attack?"

Cor sighed, "She came to find me before I did something stupid, then ran off to fight and we were separated. I don't know what happened after that. I couldn't find any sign of her."

Gladio nodded, taking in his words. Arms crossed over his chest, the frown on his faced deepened as he tried to picture what the Marshal was telling him. Athenacia was about as stubborn as he was, if she was armed then there was a good chance that she did make it out before the blockade.

"I'll sweep the area and keep my eye out. Hopefully, she's in Lestallum already. She moves fast," said Cor, turning his back, "You need to get going."

The Shield opened his mouth to respond but decided against it. Clearly the older man was not interested in any more conversation regarding their mutual friend. Nodding, he turned his back on the Marshal and walked back to his companions. There was no time to mourn, no time to sit and wonder, no time to talk. If she was alive then he was sure that they would cross paths in Lestallum.


	24. Unrecognizable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! You're all awesome!

A raging wind brought lifeless, fallen debris from the ground and up in a twister. The clouds covered the violent sky as the angry red hue of it circulated her. Wheezing breaths were taken in by the girl on the ground, the wind knocked out of her and her head in a haze. Hazel eyes glossed over as she tried to focus on what was happening. Was she dead? Her body was in pure agony, meaning she couldn't be dead if she felt pain - unless this was her punishment. She drew in another weak breath, unable to move as she observed the chaos around her. Ultros was closing in on her once more, a thick purple tentacle slowly reaching for her spent body. Skin felt aflame with each passing second, the attack was drawing nearer and nearer. She willed her eyes to stay open as an azure glow began to form around her.

A sinister laugh erupted from a man standing over her while she lied on the ground, unable to move. Head in a haze, his face was unrecognizable, trails of it following every which way he moved, however, he made her skin crawl, those evil amber eyes smiling at her as he stood over her. He reached for her and she willed herself to move away. It was to no avail, she was stuck. The azure glow pulsed away from her body and still, that man was grinning before her in that evil way. Fear gripped her heart as she caused destruction all around her, but he was still standing there, laughing at her while his hand slowly inched toward her. She screamed just as his fingers were about to touch her, vision clouded in a red haze with lights around her as she was strapped to a table. That same man was glowering over her with that damn smile on his face. What did he want? Body still in pure agony, she tried to move away from him, the rapid beeping of her own heartbeat connected to a monitor mixing with that laugh in her ears, wrists burning as she struggled with her restraints. That azure glow encompassed her body completely, ready to burst at a moments notice. Another scream escaped her, unable to hold it in any longer.

_"That's it..."_

His voice echoed.

_"Destroy them all..."_

In the distance, the bodies of Cor and Tash crumped in a heap were brought to her attention. Gin and her unborn baby left contorted in pain as the glow began to make its way toward her. The King stood tall before his body began to disintegrate at the touch of the light that slowly spread in a wide radius. She heard the cries of Gladiolus as he was being engulfed by the same chaos that emanated from her body. Tears streamed down her face as she watched them all die before her and was unable to stop it from happening. This was all her fault, all of it; their deaths were on her hands.

That sinister laugh sounded louder in her ears.

_"Kill them all!"_

It encouraged her, still laughing.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she was unable to bear anymore. Another deafening scream sounded from her lips, the azure glow released from her in another pulse. This time it started at the beginning of the Citadel and spread all the way toward the city limits of Insomnia. She watched from the top as the Crown City began to burst into flame and be completely reduced to nothing. The pain was intolerable, the citizens below her crying out in agony as she condemned them to death. They had no chance of escaping, all the while that horrible laugh ran through her ears, growing louder and louder with each passing second.

Athenacia gasped as she woke up, struggling to catch her breath with tears falling down her face. The lingering fears of her dream fresh in her mind made her put her hands over her eyes and cried harder, shaking uncontrollably. It was known how much time passed, but her wails eventually subsided and she was still having trouble breathing. When she did finally catch her breath, she sniffled a few times, sitting up and wiping her bloodshot, puffy, hazel eyes. A quick survey of the area and she noticed she was no longer in the city. Familiar noises sounded above her, seeing Imperial dreadnaughts flying in the direction of Insomnia. Fresh tears came to her eyes as she recalled everything that happened before she had passed out in the arms of a man unknown.

Slowly rising to her feet, she hitched her breath at the agony she felt with every movement. Covered in blood and dust, her attention was turned toward her former home, watching the smoke clouds billow up into the clear blue sky. How did she get out? She was so sure that she was going to die, but then it happened... Again... And that man, that strange and evil man was there. Who was he? What did he want from her? Had he been the one to rescue her from the city? But why? It was too much to process all at once, a shuddering breath drawn in while rubbing the tears from her face for the umpteenth time and looking around her. The physician was better than this, she knew she this wasn't the time to panic. Exhaling deeply in an attempt to calm her erratic heartbeat, she saw her sheathed weapon and bag she had packed a few feet away from her. Curious, she walked over toward it, instantly noting a curious white paper blowing in the wind hanging out of the top of her bag. Pushing hair out of her face she grabbed it with shaking hands, opening up the fold and examining it. The writing was unrecognizable, eyes scanning over the text.

_Let's see where you turn up next._

Pulse quickened as more tears welled up in her eyes. What sort of sick game was this man playing? How did he even know her? It seemed that he had known her all her life despite having never seen him before. Frowning angrily, she crushed the note and shoved it in her pocket. Jaw set, she removed her dirty, scrub shirt before kneeling down beside her bag, hastily opening it to shove the shirt inside while keeping on her white tank top. There was nothing more she could do right now, strapping her weapon across her bag and then securing her bag overtop it.

Taking a quick look of her surroundings, her mental map was starting to take shape as soon as she saw what looked like an outpost in the distance, squinting for better visibility. If Insomnia was behind her, then that post could only be Hammerhead. Fine, she could fix herself up there and head out as far from the city as possible. Athenacia pulled her phone from her pocket, wanting to know what happened to Cor and maybe even warn him that someone was chasing her before she destroyed it. The girl's heart sank, as broken as her screen. The phone completely smashed and unusable, leaving her with no way to contact the Marshal. Shit. Despite knowing that this was better, she truly wished she had a way to talk to Cor and the others. Did they even make it out alive? Athenacia had no doubt in her mind that the Immortal would have, even after she had stupidly left him in her dust near the Citadel. He wouldn't really go running after her back in the city... would he? It was hard to say, they had a complicated relationship. Cor knew she could take care of herself, yet sometimes he insisted on doing it anyway, however, he knew that the King had passed so his focus would be the Prince now. That was assuming that everything was alright with them. What a mess. Returning her phone to her pocket, she began her walk toward the garage, ready for the next step.

...

Upon reaching Hammerhead, Athenacia noted that there were lots of other Insomnian refugees wandering the garage. That didn't bode well for her, she did not want to be recognized by anyone here - especially if someone was after her. Judging from the chatter her sensitive ears were able to pick up, it seemed that news of the Crown City's fall was just being circulated around the Kingdom. So, she hadn't been passed out too long, that was good, she might have a chance of blending in and finding a good place to hide. Without her phone, she couldn't contact anyone and she didn't want to go near them anyway if she was going to be a danger to them.

Athenacia made herself small as she quickly darted into the general store. There weren't many in there, most refugees preoccupied with contacting family members, enabling her to buy some supplies that she needed and keep her head down as she did so. A stroke of luck relieved her when she found out that the trailer was free, allowing her to scurry into it before she was noticed by anyone. Exhaling a sigh, she closed and locked the door as soon as she stepped into it, unhooking her bag from her back and her sheathed weapon, placing them on the table. Grabbing the newly purchased items, the doctor went straight to the bathroom in order to relieve herself before observing her reflection in the mirror. Instantly, her hazel eyes widened at her appearance. The dirty blond hair was a mess from the wind, long and wavy and reaching her waist. Just like last time, it had grown out. There was a contusion on her left eye, some scrapes as well. Peeling off her shirt and brushing her hair out of the way, she could see the scar from her stab wound she sustained a while back. Also, she had multiple contusions and lacerations, and perhaps a fractured rib, she couldn't be sure without a scan. Athenacia examined the rest of her body, noting all of her wounds and blemishes, testing points of pain for intensity and knew that she couldn't walk around like this if she was to put distance between her and her enemies.

Taking a deep breath, the physician focused her magic on herself. The gold lights that erupted from her hands engulfed her body and soothed her weariness. All that was left were a few minor scrapes, much like every other refugee she had seen. Satisfied, Athenacia up the shower, scorching as usual. The water was cleansing and she scrubbed her skin heavily to try and remove all of the dirt, blood, dust and whatever else she had picked up. As the hot liquid ran down her body, she still couldn't believe that her home was gone, tears streaming down her cheeks once more as the events replayed in her head. If only she could speak with Cor, however, she had no way of getting a hold of him. That man moved faster than she did anyway, she'd be unable to pinpoint his exact location with everything going on. It was then the doctor thought of Gladiolus. He and his companions were supposed to be in Galdin Quay, on their way to Altissia. Had they made it? Or was that part of the Empire's trick? Somehow she doubted the Empire would catch him. King Regis must have known that something like this would happen, which explained the small escort out of the city. That poor boy. When he finds out what happened to his home...

The girl turned off the water and grabbed a towel, desperate to rid herself of her thoughts. Hands shaking, she blow dried her long hair so that it was completely dry before pulling out the three bottles of dye she had purchased at the store. This length was not preferable, however, if someone was looking for Athenacia Virum, they were looking for a girl with short, dirty blond hair, not a girl with long jet black hair. Once the dye was applied, she carefully made her way into the kitchen area, peeking through the closed curtains once. It was amazing how none of her training appeared to fail her, opening her bag to rummage through the contents and make sure she hadn't lost any of her inventory. Everything was here, not a single thing out of place and as happy as she was about that, it still didn't sit right with her. Athenacia remembered dropping it before fighting Ultros and she could only wonder where that stranger had found her. Regardless, she pulled out her clothes and checked the time quickly, wanting to leave as soon as possible.

It was time to rinse. Good. Athenacia carried her clothes with her into the bathroom, starting up the shower again, only the water was much cooler than the first time. Once everything was thoroughly washed and rinsed out, she sighed as she towel dried her hair slowly. The long wet tendrils were now dark and smelled of her shampoo with chemicals, much to her dismay. Setting the towel aside, the clothes were thrown on rather hastily; another white tank top with dark brown shorts that were belted at her hips. Boots that travelled up the length of her legs and stopped just short of her knees were laced up tightly and she observed herself again, barely recognizing herself with the jet black long hair. Hazel eyes narrowed as they zeroed in on a key component that could easily blow her cover. That ugly scar on her neck seemed to be gleaming, her skin looking much more pale in contrast to the dark hair. Athenacia grabbed scissors and cut herself some side bangs so that they covered her left eye, then braided her hair off so that it hid her scar and hung over one shoulder. Perfect.

Athenacia gathered the clothes she was just wearing - including the scrub shirt from before - and placed them in the bag she was using to contain her hair dye. The smashed phone was thrown in there as well, not wanting any evidence of Athenacia Virum to be out in the open. Once that was sealed and everything was packed, she hooked her weapon to her back and put her bag back on. Taking one more quick look around, she was satisfied that there were no traces of her left here in the trailer before exiting out the door. Now she felt less exposed, hidden, safer. Now she was unrecognizable.

There was only one thing left to go. The physician walked toward the garage, keeping her gaze away from the refugees and trying to find someone in charge. All she could see was the scantily clad blond woman with dirt on her face who usually ran things, her grandfather the owner, however, keeping inside more often than not. Perfect. If Cindy didn't recognize her then it was unlikely that anyone else would. That greasemonkey knew faces better than anyone else in Eos.

"Excuse me?" inquired Athenacia.

"Hey gal!" the girl greeted enthusiastically, "What can I do ya for?"

"I was wondering if you had a vehicle for sale?"

Her face grew thoughtful, "Most of y'all cleaned us out, but I reckon I got one junker left that can get ya to Lestallum."

"I'll take it. How much?"

Cindy held up her hands, "Don't ya worry yer pretty little head 'bout it. I can't take your money after what happened to yer home."

"You're sure?"

She nodded, "Wait here, I'll grab the old girl for ya."

"Thank you, Miss...?"

"Cindy," she smiled, walking away and disappearing inside of the garage.

...

Athenacia was on the road finally just as mid-morning was hitting. Cindy had an old truck left and it was definitely a junker, ugly light blue colour, however, the doctor wasn't really worried about appearance, she just needed to get away from any refugees before they recognized her. An hour or two on the road and she was already feeling better about the distance, she just wished there was a way for her to get a message to Cor, knowing that he would have made it out of the city just fine. Looking back, she really shouldn't have taken off the way that she did. Stupid, since when did she decide to fight instead of run? Sighing, the girl tried to shake herself of her regrets. There were far too many and she was going to have a long time to herself. Athenacia was eating some food she had bought on her way out while she drove, listening to the radio report on her home. She nearly choked on her drink when they announced that the Oracle and the Prince were both dead. No, she couldn't believe it. The Prince was far outside the city before the attack, in Gladin Quay like Gladiolus had said the night before. Would he have come back? There was a chance, given that his home was destroyed, and if he went back then he could have easily been caught by the Empire's troopers. That thought didn't sit too well with her.

The doctor only knew for sure that King Regis was dead, the lack of magic use making that obvious. Lady Lunafreya, she was dead too? But Libertus was escorting her out of the city. Did he fail? No, somehow Athenacia was sure that the Empire wouldn't have killed the Oracle if they had taken her back; she was too valuable for that. Nothing was making any sense as the physician tried to piece any of it together. If she wasn't being chased by some psychopath then maybe she would be able to get some answers out of anyone, however, she was too afraid to even go near another person. That man's face rang in her head and filled her with fear, having no idea who he was and what he wanted with her. All she knew was that he was going to try and find her again. Obviously, he knew something about that no one else was supposed to know. How could he? Athenacia was brought up in an Insomnian orphanage, no one could have known her. Unless it was before that when she was just a baby... The girl shook her head out of those thoughts. The last thing she needed was to get caught up in the past that no longer held any meaning for her. She just had to keep moving so that he couldn't find her. she knew how to hide as well as the next person this would be a piece of cake.

Taking a long drink of her juice can, she squinted at something in the distance. There was a broken down car with smoke coming out of the engine. Athenacia wasn't a mechanic but she knew that smoke out of the engine was not a good sign. Someone was waving their hands at her as she was driving toward them. Body tensing, she was not really wanting to get involved but they were obviously Insomnians and they appeared to have an elderly man and two children with them. She couldn't just leave them, so she slowed down until the truck was in front of them, observing the scene. Throwing her bag in the back, she exited the vehicle

"You guys alright?" asked the doctor, squinting as the sun was in her eyes.

"Our car won't start," said the little boy.

Athenacia observed them all carefully. The boy was young, standing next to an elderly man that she could only assume was his grandfather since they did bear a great resemblance to each other. There was another man, tall with short hair and glasses on his face, obviously, a Crownsguard. Next to him was a teenage girl who had a face riddled with worry, short brown hair with matching brown eyes. Her features definitely reminded the doctor of someone she knew, but that was far from her mind as she noted the man with glasses was injured, as well as the elderly man.

"Let me take a look at that," Athenacia narrowed her eyes in thought.

"Are you from Insomnia?" asked the Crownsguard.

"Yeah, I was one of the nurses in a clinic on the outlying neighbourhoods," she lied, walking to her patient and examining his laceration, "What happened?"

"Just some bumps and bruises from the attack," replied the old man.

"Give me a moment."

Athenacia quickly walked to her truck, grabbing her bag and pulled the garbage out, stuffing it under the seat. Returning to the party, she noted that the Crownsguard was mostly fine, his laceration only needing cleaning. The teenage girl had hardly a mark on her, obviously well protected with the little boy. The doctor came to the elderly man and the large laceration on his arm needed stitching. Carefully, she pulled out her tools and began her methodical work while his grandson watched.

"Where are you headed?" asked the Crownsguard.

"Lestallum," she lied, having no intention of going there at all.

"Could we hitch a ride?" asked the young girl.

Shit, "Of course," replied Athenacia. Probably best she get them there anyway, she couldn't leave them like this, "But I only have room in the cab for two extra bodies. Two of you are going to have to ride in the back."

"Can I grandpa?" asked the young boy excitedly.

"Now, now, I think perhaps Dustin and I will suffice while you and the young lady are safe inside," replied the old man.

The boy was sullen at that. Athenacia finished up her stitching and tied it off, applying more numbing agent before covering up the wound with gauze and tape. Dustin, the Crownsguard, was placing their belongings into the bed of her truck. The doctor packed up her supplies neatly and closed up the bag. Once she was done there was nothing left to do so she helped the old man she learned to be called Jared into the bed of the truck with Dustin. Hopping into the driver's seat, her bag was set down by the young girl's feet as the little boy got into the middle. Wordlessly, she took off from their damaged car and made her way toward Lestallum. The sooner she got there the better, she did not want to draw attention to herself, however, she would have to watch her speed as she had passengers in the back now. This was definitely not what she was expecting at all, so be it.

"Thank you for helping us," said the young girl politely.

"No problem," replied Athenacia with a smile on her face.

"Were you in the city when it happened?" asked the child.

"I was but I was fortunate enough to get out before things got really bad."

"Oh! I better let my brother know I'm okay!" exclaimed the girl.

"He's probably pretty worried," said the boy.

"I don't even know if he knows what's happened yet. I hope they're all okay."

"Me too."

"If he was outside of the city then he stood a better chance than we did," Athenacia tried to be reassuring.

"I hope so." she nodded, "I was just lucky to have the Crownsguard get me out."

"That is lucky."

"Oh I'm so sorry, I'm Iris, Iris Amicitia."

Athenacia laughed upon hearing that, unable to stop herself once the words registered in her mind. Seriously, Iris Amicitia? Was this some sort of cruel joke? There are hundreds of refugees all over Lucis now and the only ones that need her help are related to Gladiolus? Lady Luck sure had an interesting sense of humour.

"Of course you are," said the physician.

Iris frowned slightly, "What does that mean?"

"I'm sorry. Just, of all the people I would run into fate made it you and at the pace my life is going it's very comical."

The young Amicitia looked a little confused but was distracted by her phone buzzing again in her hands. She focused intently on her message while Athenacia kept her eyes on the road.

"What's your name?" asked the young man.

Athenacia hesitated a bit. If this really was Iris Amicitia then she couldn't risk having them with her really at all while she was being hunted. She couldn't do that to Gladiolus or anyone else really. The idea that she was stuck with them now that there was a target on her back made her very uneasy.

"Tia," she responded, "Tia Dorel."

"I'm Talcott," he said proudly, "I'm protecting Iris!"

"You're doing a fantastic job," she told him seriously.

"Thanks. My grandfather is much better at it though."

"He's a bit older, but I know that you'll grow up just like him."

"You really mean that?" his face brightened.

"Of course!"

Talcott kept a smile plastered on his face. The truck was silent again with only the sound of the wind passing by as she drove. Iris was busy with intent eyes on her phone, firing off a message to someone - Athenacia could only assume her brother. Absently she wondered if she had any messages from anyone. Perhaps Cor, but would Gladiolus have tried to get a hold of her? The thought of that being a no made her sad. Surely they weren't still fighting. Were they? Those voice messages were hard to gauge without physically talking to one another. Not that it mattered, so long as she was being hunted she would stay far away from him and the Prince.

"Gladdy and the others are headed to Hammerhead to meet Cor. I hope everyone is alright," said Iris, tensing up in her seat.

That confirmed everything Athenacia needed to know. Cor made it out, Gladiolus, the Prince and the other two were still alive, and now she was ensuring that his own sister made it to safety in Lestallum. The sooner she was able to take the danger of her hunted self away from them the better. For now, she would stick it out until she figured out what her next move was and how to stay out of danger.


	25. High Priority

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much!

Cor Leonis watched Prince Noctis and his companions drive off west toward the lands of Duscae, arms crossed as they began to disappear into a small dot in the distance. Sighing lightly as he turned his back, he looked around at the debris of MagiTek troopers littered around the fallen blockade. More dreadnaughts drew his attention above, headed toward the ruins of his home. They were moving into Lucian territory fast and that was very unnerving for him. At least now the path to the west was open again, no longer limiting mobility throughout the country. Cor took out his phone and checked it, not surprised there weren't any messages from Athenacia and he had given up trying to reach her. Likely, her phone was broken with her blatant disregard for it despite him telling her to keep it on her. His thoughts drifted to the day previous, the last time he had seen her. Something she saw in the city had scared her, something that she felt she had to fight. The Marshal wished she hadn't run off, it was hard to keep track of her when she did that. Keeping the frown on his face, he was hoping that he was seeing things on his way out of the city last night, that he hadn't actually seen the big blue dome.

Sleep eluded him since the attack. The entire night was spent evacuating citizens while trying to get any sort of bearing on Athenacia but eventually, he had no choice but to move on. As he took his final look at his home he saw that azure blast, one that he hadn't seen in years. A fist clenched at his own thoughts as a scowl occupied his face. If she was anywhere in the middle of that like last time... He couldn't bear the thought of the Empire capturing her - and with a stunt like that, he was sure that they wouldn't hesitate to take her.

It also didn't help that Gladiolus was trying to involve himself. While Cor knew that they had some sort of romantic relationship, he wasn't sure as to how deep it actually went. And he didn't want to know, Athenacia was a grown woman who could make her own decisions. It was her emotions that always made things troublesome. It was almost hell when she was with Grun and the aftermath of all that; though Cor had no actual issue with Gladiolus, he needed the sworn Shield focused on his duty first and his personal life second. Besides, Athenacia was Cor's responsibility and it was his job to take care of her.

The only hope was to enlist the hunters to not only aid him in finding the lost royal tombs, but also keep their ears to the ground for any sign of her. Cor knew he should have sent her to Lestallum with the rest of her patients, then at least he would know where she was and out of harm's way. Taking another quick look, there was nothing left to do here so he began to walk away from the blockade, finding Monica near the entrance. The Crownsguard was looking at him with the same sort of look he carried, only she was worried about the boys. Cor's face was more of a grimace now as he turned to look one last time before falling into step with her and leaving the area.

...

Cor had made his way with Monica to Longwythe Rest Area, both weary after travelling and all the commotion as of late. The sun was beginning its descent and the daemons would be out soon. The Immortal was happy to have a safe place to try and sleep tonight and Monica definitely deserved a break. A lot of Crownsguard were lost in the attack, but Iris and many others were safe thanks to their sacrifice. The King was gone, the citizens of Insomnia were as safe as they were going to be. What was left for him now? He had no need of Crownsguard with Noctis on his own mission with his own regime, no city to defend.

For now, he could spend his time fighting Niflheim forces while he searched for Athenacia. The hotel in Longwythe had been almost overbooked the last couple of days but there was space enough for the two of them at least. Monica had gone for some food and Cor took a much needed shower. The Marshal tried to gather his thoughts about where to go from here. The rage he felt at the possibility of Athenacia being in Niflheim custody made his blood boil. There was really only one option now: take out every last one of them until he could no longer fight, until he found the missing girl.

As he exited the room in fresh clothes, he took a look at his surroundings. Longwythe wasn't something spectacular but it was better than being out in the wilderness. If he was going on a suicide mission to wipe out Niffs, he couldn't take anyone with him. Walking into the diner, he ordered some food for himself and sat against the counter. His mind kept going over every detail it could, trying to figure out where to start the search for Athenacia. Nothing came to light and he took a long drink of his beer as someone came to sit next to him. Cor didn't even glance over, knowing immediately who it was and what he was doing here.

"Monica said you wanted to speak with me," said Dave.

Dave Auburnbrie was one of the older hunters in Lucis. Over the years, the Marshal had come to count on them outside of the city for information. They protected the people outside of the wall and Dave was usually their lead man, deferred to naturally by his relation to the head of Meldacio. His dog tags clinked together as he set down his own beer with his heavily tattooed arm. Not much had really changed with the man, both only having a few words to speak to each other but their reputations proceeded them.

"I need information," replied Cor.

"What's up?"

The Marshal pulled out his phone from his pocket, unlocking the screen and bringing up a picture. It was just the standard hospital identification picture from the Insomnian faculty system before it was all blown out. He had kept an updated profile of her and others on his phone just in case he needed them, never thought that it would actually come in use. Athenacia had her hair down and that haggard appearance she usually wore thanks to overwork and sleep deprivation. Cor set his phone on the counter beside the hunter and then went back to his food. Dave picked it up curiously and observed the blown up image. The Marshal's plate was pushed away as he finished his dinner and took another long drink of his beer.

"Cute girl. Yours?"

"Something like that. Her hair is probably a lot longer now. You see her?"

"Can't say I have."

Cor grunted, not really surprised at his answer. He took his phone back and darkened the screen before putting it back in his pocket.

"Keep an eye out, will you?" asked the Marshal, though it wasn't really much of a question.

"I'm not sure how much we can spare while looking for your tombs."

"This one's more of a higher priority."

"That a fancy way of saying personal?"

Cor shrugged, "She's high priority. And yeah, it's also personal."

Dave regarded the Marshal with a thoughtful frown before answering, "I'll get some people on it," he nodded.

"Thanks."

The two of them were silent as they began to drink a fresh beer. Cor wasn't exactly sure what the man was still doing here but he wasn't going to ask him to leave either. Eventually, he would spit it out, the two of them had no time for games.

"You should know, the Niffs are starting to build up a stronghold here."

Cor growled, "The bodies aren't even cold yet!"

"I know. But they're starting anyway. Reckon they had it goin' before they took the city. There's a small base a few clicks from it where they're operating out of until construction's complete. I'll sniff around and see if she's in there."

Cor took an extremely long drink, completely unhappy with that information. The Empire had planned this long before Cor and everyone else was able to blink twice. Dave was probably correct in assuming they had started construction long before the plan to invade the city was made. Looks like now he knew what his next move was going to be.

...

Athenacia fed her small little fire with some dried leaves and small twigs. The night had settled in and she was in a haven as far from Lestallum as she could get. According to her map, she was in the region of Duscae, at Fallaughns Haven a bit southeast of the Saxham Outpost. On the drive down she had noticed that Imperial forces were already starting to make themselves at home. It was unnerving, and she regretted that she couldn't get any further before the night had settled. There wasn't any help for it, she had to get away from Lestallum.

The drive from Leide all the way to Lestallum was a long one, however, it wasn't entirely unpleasant. Despite the Crown City falling, Talcott appeared to have mostly a positive attitude and seemed to take a shining to the physician. Once Iris was settled about the safety of her brother, more so the Prince, she broke out of her shell. It seemed that the young Amicitia had developed a small crush on the royal. The more Athenacia interacted with Iris, the more she liked the young girl. She was a child, only 15, but the young doctor could see the positive outlook and endearing attitude. The relationship between her and Gladio was easy to see after a few minutes. In retrospect, Athenacia should have seen the connection instantly and was surprised that she didn't. It was with regret that she had driven through the tunnel and into the overly warm city. Parking with the other vehicles, she helped them into the hotel to get settled before she bid them farewell with a broken promise to Talcott that they would meet again. Athenacia was a little stunned when Iris had jumped at her with a hug and could only imagine how the young girl would react had she known the truth. At least this way she knew what to expect if that were to ever happen. The strange twist of fate she was delivered had her chuckling but for now, she couldn't stay near them while she herself was in danger.

The doctor did linger in Lestallum a little longer than she should have, remembering the last time she was here years ago. The city was beautiful. It wasn't Insomnia beautiful. The Crown City was something outside of a dream, however, Lestallum had its own sort of unique charm. It was sweltering hot thanks to the Disc and the power plant but that didn't bother her too much. Athenacia took a small tour of the city, buying what she needed from the market and keeping her head low so that no one would see her. She avoided the hospital like the plague. Anyone there would know her face on sight no matter the precautions she implemented on herself to hide. The girl knew shouldn't have stayed in the city for as long as she did. So when she left a little later, she didn't get a chance to get as far as she wanted. There was no real destination in mind, she just knew that she had to keep moving. Staying in one place for too long would warrant unwanted attention, she knew how to move while avoiding detection, was trained in that art a long time ago. Athenacia started up her fire and ate some of her dried food with a bottle of water. Once it was burning hot enough, she threw in her bag of evidence against her.

Her hazel eyes were twinkling as the flames grew brighter and hotter, the sun finally set. When it was dark enough that all the stars were visible, she began to keep the fire low. The physician just kept the warmth of the blaze, not wanting to be seen by anyone driving by. Travelling light was key, however, her truck wasn't exactly made to go off the road but she didn't want it sitting around for the chance it was noticed. The fire crackled while she was mesmerized by the dancing flames. Athenacia was sitting on the ground, not thinking enough to buy herself a chair. Not that it mattered much to her, she didn't mind the ground, only when it came to sleeping on it. Probably best if she wasn't too comfortable anyway, that way she could stay alert. Her mind began to drift as she continued to feed her pitiful fire. Daemons in the surrounding area sounded in her ears, however, there weren't any close enough to her to pose a real problem. She could easily make a quick getaway if that was the case anyway.

Athenacia thought about Cor, hoping that he was okay. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be looking for her, starting at the beginning and then he would slowly work his way west, all the way to the edge of Lucis. He'd go even further and he wouldn't stop, would hunt her down until he found some sort of evidence that she was alive. A sad smile graced her features, taking solace in that thought. When all was said and done, she had least one person in this world that cared for her. Hugging her knees to her chest tightly, she heaved a sigh, repressing a tear that wished to escape her left eye. If she could hide from Cor and anyone else he acquired to hunt her, then she would be safe away from the Empire.

The Empire, the ones who had taken her home from her. They were hunting down the Prince now, she knew that while having them lie about his death all over the broadcasts. While Noctis was still alive it gave her hope that there would be a chance, a chance to take vengeance for everything that was taken from them. Wherever Noctis went so did his three friends and guard, Ignis, Prompto and Gladiolus. Athenacia sighed again into her knees. Desperately she wanted to wait around Lestallum to meet him when he came for his sister, but she couldn't. While she was a target she couldn't risk going near anyone she cared about - especially the Prince - until she figured out why that evil man held such an interest in her, she had to stay away. That tear fell down her face at the loneliness she felt at the current moment.

But her attention snapped up when she heard the sound of a woman scream. The noise wasn't very loud, and it appeared more startled than anything. It was too close for comfort and she was up instantly, weapon in hand. Athenacia removed the bulking sweater from her person and waited, straining her ears to listen for which direction to head. More sounds of distress enabled her to finally pinpointed a destination. The doctor took off instantly, hoping that this wouldn't be overwhelming. A flash of white in the distance kept her on track, the silhouette of a body falling to the ground causing her to whistle in order to draw attention onto her instead of the victim. There were four imps coming at her alarmingly fast. Athenacia unsheathed her weapon and darted at them quickly, taking the first two down with one swipe. One of them attacked her leg, grunting before knocking it off. Slashing at the third, she finished off the fourth one with minimal effort.

That wasn't it, however. Two Flan decided that they would merge together, probably the smartest idea they had ever had in their short lives. And their lives would be short because the biggest mistake they made was challenging her. It came at her and she dodged quickly, rolling on the ground. The attack had grazed her left shoulder and she grunted at the pain she felt. Athenacia swung her gladius at the next attack, slicing off an arm. A lot of good it did though, given that the thing was basically jelly. Darting around it again, she wished she had magic to help her right now. This was why she never liked to depend on the stuff. Her hazel eyes widened as the daemon began to swim in some golden lights. Immediately she looked at her hands but nothing was coming from them. Brows raised, she watched in mild curiosity as the Flan expanded and then burst - all over her. Athenacia groaned, wiping it off of her face in disgust. It was all over her hair and legs. Gross. Weapon in hand, she took a quick look around for any other threats. There were no more daemons posing an immediate threat right now. The doctor's eyes landed on the victim and saviour of the small party of daemons, a little shocked at the sight before her.

"So I guess you're not dead," said the physician, raising a brow.

Standing before her was indeed the Oracle, Lady Lunafreya, holding a trident pointed at where the space where the daemon was just occupying. Lunafreya's white dress was torn at the bottom, dirty from wandering around in the wilderness. From this light, Athenacia could see that there were a few minor lacerations and contusions on her bare arms. Her face was focused and weary as she lowered her weapon, keeping the butt of it on the ground. It stood a little taller than her and looked like it wasn't even real in the gleaming light of the Disc in the distance.

"You okay Princess?" asked Athenacia.

"I am mostly unharmed thanks to you," replied Lunafreya.

"What are you doing out here? Where's Libertus?"

The Oracle frowned, "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

Athenacia laughed, "We have yes. I asked you to do me a favour before you parted with Nyx and left with Libertus."

"Cia?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Forgive me, I did not recognize you."

"That was kind of the point. Come on, I got a fire going. I can take a look at those wounds and you can tell me a story," instructed Athenacia, turning to walk back towards her haven.

"I'm sorry, I cannot go with you."

"It wasn't a suggestion," she turned and smiled quickly, before continuing on her journey.

The walk back to the haven was a quiet one. Athenacia could hear the Oracle following in her footsteps until finally, they arrived at their destination. Her fire had almost died in her absence and she suspected it might so she picked up some fuel along the way. The physician dropped the pile in a heap and then crouched down to bring back up her source of light. The Oracle placed her trident on the ground and then took her seat beside it. Athenacia walked over toward her bag and brought it with her as she approached the young woman, opening it up carefully and rummaging through her medical supplies. Pulling out her penlight and clicking it once to turn it on, she ran the light over the Oracle's face and was happy that most of the blemishes were just dirt. Dr. Virum cleaned it up with a cloth and some water from a bottle that she had. Then she ran the light over her left arm. The lacerations were very minor, nothing life-threatening. That was a relief, taking out her alcohol cleaner and beginning to sanitize the wounds. Lunafreya didn't react, simply just observed the doctor as she worked. Virum then came to her right arm and repeated the process, face focused and technique methodical as always.

"Anything else I might need to look at?" asked Dr. Virum.

"Nothing your tools can fix," the Oracle smiled weakly.

"Not here no. If I was in a hospital those magical ailments wouldn't be an issue."

"You can see them?"

"Treating magical maladies was sort of my area of expertise. I don't have the right equipment here or else I would get to it, though I doubt you'd be willing to go to a hospital and get it treated."

Lunafreya just smiled politely. The young doctor quickly cleaned up her own wounds she sustained from the fight earlier. Satisfied, Virum packed up her bag and placed it aside before taking her seat a few inches away from the Oracle and feeding her small little fire again. Both women were silent as they stared into the dancing flames. Athenacia wasn't exactly sure what to say, where to begin, so many questions right now about the current situation she found herself in. Lady Lunafreya had no business being out here by herself.

"Your friend, he's alright," said the Oracle tentatively.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"I can assume he is on his way back to Galahd. I left him on the city limits."

"Why?"

"Wherever I go, the Empire follows."

Athenacia huffed, "Yeah I know that feeling."

Lunafreya looked at the girl curiously but the doctor wasn't offering any sort of elaboration so she didn't press the matter. The fire crackled and hissed as it continued to be fed slowly. Athenacia once again brought her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly after placing the small rations of food beside her unexpected guest.

"What are you doing out here?" asked the doctor finally.

"My duty as Oracle," replied Lunafreya.

"Last I heard the Prince was headed to Lestallum if you're looking for him."

A sad smile graced her features, "The time for us to meet has not yet arrived."

"Don't you have to give him something?"

She nodded, "I will when the time is right and he is ready. It is best if you keep your distance while I am being hunted."

"I could say the same to you."

They were silent again. It wasn't like the two of them were old friends, however, the last time they saw each other was in the middle of an invasion and that was only the second time they had ever met. Nyx had spent his last moments protecting her and Libertus took her as far as she would let him. Nyx said she had the fate of the world in her hands and Athenacia had no idea what that meant. At least he could rest easy knowing that he did not die in vain, knowing that Libertus had also made it out alive. The physician wished she knew more about what happened to him but it obviously wasn't meant to be.

"I do not have your favour. I have already sent it on its way," said Lunafreya suddenly.

"That's fine. Thank you for doing that for me," replied Athenacia.

"The honour is my own. You have such a kind soul."

The doctor snorted, "You sure?"

She smiled, "I can tell by the gentle touch of how you cared for me just now."

Athenacia shrugged, "I guess."

"Do you heal your own weariness?"

"The best I can with only being one person."

"I do not mean your physical wounds. The pain you carry with you. Do you heal it?"

Athenacia sighed as her look became intent on the flames. She could feel the eyes of the Oracle on her, waiting for an answer but the young doctor didn't have one. Not one that she could form into words. As the silence persisted, Lunafreya knew that she wasn't going to get anything more about it, turning her head back to the flames.

"I am truly sorry for your loss," said the Oracle sadly.

"I haven't lost anything," replied Athenacia, a little confused.

"Not recently, no. I mean the loss you sustained when you were younger, the one that cannot be undone."

Athenacia looked at the woman in shock, "How can you possibly know about that?" her voice was shaking as a tear threatened to fall from her eye.

The Oracle looked at the girl sympathetically, "Your grief becomes mine. That is my area of expertise."

The doctor gasped as she tore her eyes away and back toward the flames. Knees were hugged tighter as she struggled within herself to repress the emotions she kept at bay. No one was supposed to know about that, no one but Cor and the one responsible. No one would have said anything, this truly was the magic of the Oracle at play here. Even Athenacia didn't quite comprehend the true nature of those powers, having only wielded a piece of Lucian magic.

"I apologize if I caused you any offence," said Lunafreya.

"You should probably get some rest. It'll help you heal faster," said the physician, her eyes fixed on the flames.

Lady Lunafreya didn't say anything more, only smiled sadly at the doctor again before laying down beside her trident. Athenacia didn't react, didn't move, just kept her hazel gaze upon the fire. Absently she fed it while keeping her ears out for any hostiles. One tear fell from her eye once she heard the steady and even breaths of the Oracle. It seemed that no matter how far she ran, her past was always one step ahead of her.


	26. Desperate Distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for your heartwarming words, the kudos, the views, all of it!

Gladiolus and the others finally arrived in Lestallum. After parting ways with Cor back in Leide, the four friends had made their way through Duscae, stopping along the way. Knowing that Iris was safe in Lestallum, they weren't in nearly as much of a rush to get there, so during the trip they earned more money doing hunts and even defeated a behemoth named Deadeye to help out Wiz, the man in charge of chocobo rentals. With that back up and running they did linger for a day going through the racetrack. As much as it was a delay in their initial journey, it was refreshing to have a little bit of distraction from the impending doom after the invasion. The Shield, however, was getting a little restless, something that the others were picking up on. They made one last stop to try and have a look at the Disc - only to find it suspiciously blocked off by the Empire. It was then that they made their way to Lestallum to meet up with Iris. Gladio was worried about her still even though he knew she was safe in the city, it wasn't just his sister he was looking forward to seeing. The large man was sure that he would find some sign of Athenacia while in Lestallum. Cor had told him before they separated that most of her patients were being transferred there before the attack and he was certain that she wouldn't leave them unattended.

The city was warm, the humidity making it a little hard to breathe but Gladiolus was sure that part of it was his anticipation. They walked toward the hotel and waited in the lobby. Gladio had messaged Iris to let her know that they had arrived. They weren't waiting long, she had come down the stairs to meet with them. Once he had seen her smiling face he relaxed a little. The teen wasn't hurt from the damage inside the city at all and he was lucky the Crownsguard had taken such good care of her. The Shield knew that he should have been there for her but their father seemed to have other ideas. Iris led them up the stairs and into the room that the boys would be sharing. The room was considerably nice, with had a sitting area and two beds. Fairly sized windows allowed sunlight to billow in, with access to a terrace. The door was open, bringing with it the warm breeze of the city and its strange odour that accompanied it thanks to the power plant. It was about midday so the sun was still shining brightly. Gladiolus looked over toward the entrance of the room and saw with relief two people he wasn't expecting to have made it out of the city either.

"Jared and Talcott, is it good to see you," said Gladiolus.

"Prince Noctis, Iris is safe with me!" said Talcott excitedly.

"Please excuse my grandson, he has yet to learn his manners," said Jared, putting his arm on the shoulder of the child with a gentle smile on his face.

He winced slightly as he did so, something the Shield hadn't failed to notice.

"I like it," said Noctis smiling.

"Your Highness is very kind, but we shan't impose," replied Jared.

"A moment, sir," said Ignis abruptly. The steward looked over at the young man curiously, "Are you injured?"

Jared looked over at his own right arm, the one that wasn't holding the cane, "Just a scratch," he smiled in an assuring way.

"It's already been looked at," said Iris.

"Do you mind if I have another look?" asked Ignis.

"Not at all," replied Jared.

Ignis walked toward the door and carefully observed Jared's right forearm. A thoughtful frown creased his features as he gingerly moved the wound, scrutinizing it further as if he were waiting for it to speak. Finally, he released his gentle hold and took a step back. Gladiolus kept watch curiously.

"The stitching is very well done," said Ignis, "And fairly unique compared to the standard protocol. How did you acquire it?"

"We were lucky that a passing nurse happened upon us," said Jared.

"The car broke and she stopped to help us. Patched us all up and drove us here," explained Iris.

"What're ya thinking Iggy?" asked Gladiolus.

"There's only one person I've seen that uses that particular style of stitching," said Ignis.

"You don't think...?" Gladiolus dropped his arms from his chest.

Could it be possible? Did Athenacia make it out quick enough to actually get his own sister here? His heart nearly stopped at the possibilities - for a moment, he had to ground himself just to stop from pushing through the old man and start turning the city upside down. And he would do it too, if that meant he had a chance of finding the elusive doctor. She was the only one he hadn't accounted for thus far.

"What did she look like?" Ignis turned to Iris.

"She was young," Iris tried to remember, "She looked very tired to-"

"Did she have a scar? A big one on her neck?" asked Gladiolus at once.

Iris frowned, "I-I don't think so, her hair was sort of in her neck."

"What?"

"Yeah, it was long and black and braided."

"She said her name was Tia Dorel," offered Talcott, "She was a nice lady. I  _liked_  her," he smiled brightly.

"Is she still in the city?" asked Ignis.

"I cannot be sure," answered Jared, frowning.

The Shield's heart dropped. That didn't match Athenacia's description at all. Evidently there was more than one person in the city that used her style of stitching. Internally sighing, he nodded at them and the two left, closing the door behind them. Gladio caught the look his sister was giving him and she only offered him a sad smile as she went to take her seat.

...

After a long conversation about what happened inside of the city, Gladiolus was out on the terrace with his phone in hand. They had learned of the bulk of the attack and that the Oracle, Lady Lunafreya was most likely alive and well somewhere in Lucis. While the Shield was happy that the Oracle was okay, he still could only wonder the fate of one person. Sighing, he leaned his heavily tattooed arms on the balcony as he stared at his phone screen, going over old messages between him and Athenacia and smiling sadly at some of them. The last thing he said to her was asking her to call him when she could. Had she even received that message? Or was she in the middle of battle while he tried to reach her? He would never know until he found her. Gladio finally reached the end of his conversation with her for the third time before exiting his messenger application and closing the phone screen, looking up at the stars. There weren't as many out, the power plant obscuring some of the sight. All because of his one time camping, he had managed to call her and he couldn't imagine having not made contact with her beforehand, how he would feel. They were usually so busy during the day that he only ever had the nights to think about her and wonder about where she was. While he was confident that she was here somewhere in the city, he was a little anxious to find out otherwise.

Gladiolus opened up his phone screen again and noted the silence of it. Internally sighing for the umpteenth time, he had begun to look through his pictures now. There weren't many of her, she was quite camera shy. He didn't even know why her smile was infectious when she wore it. There was only one picture he had of the two of them, something Prompto had sneakily snapped after running into them. He smiled at the memory, the shock on her face when she had realized far too late what had happened. Not only would the young gunman not let her see the picture, but he insisted that he was going to frame it and put it on a billboard in the city somewhere. Her hazel eyes widened at his suggestion and she demanded he delete the blackmail even though she hadn't the chance to actually look at the picture, however, Gladiolus kept it, loving the look on her face as she regarded him shyly. Her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, her lip bit in that nervous manner. The Shield had just made some inappropriate joke about her empty bed. It was always easy to embarrass her, especially when others were around to hear his merciless teasing of her. While her head wasn't pointed directly at him and her cheeks were nearly crimson, her eyes did meet his with a light in them he always saw within her. A crooked grin graced his features while he looked down at her, his arm beginning its reach around her shoulders to pull her in for a kiss.

The large man sighed once again, closing the screen and returning his phone to his pocket. Cor said he was searching for her, however, it was unclear if he was going to keep him in the loop. Gladiolus did not want to disturb the Marshal at all with something like this, and it was obvious that Cor wanted to handle this himself. It seemed strange that the older man was so fixated on her, wondering the nature of their relationship. Gladio would convey his own search and that meant this city - even if he didn't like what he found. Athenacia would never leave his thoughts until her fate was known. Standing up straight, he walked back into the room and straight toward the door.

"Need some air," he grumbled as, leaving through it without waiting for a response.

No one in the room had the heart to say anything about it. Since the attack on the Crown City and no news of his girlfriend, they didn't mention anything. Prompto often wore a look of forced hope while Noctis was mostly unsure of himself. He had his own grief to deal with anyway. Ignis, however, seemed to have no outward emotion on the situation. Gladiolus didn't talk about it, no one would ask. Not this early anyway, not while the truth of the matter was up in the air like nearly everything else since the invasion. The Shield made his way down the stairs of the hotel and out the door into the warm night air. It was still humid but without the sun it was a little more bearable. The sites, the aroma of food, the trash littered streets, they were far from his mind. His focus the faces of girls with similar builds to Athenacia. There weren't many and he probably wouldn't have much luck at this hour. The aimless wandering did bring him toward a hospital building. Maybe it was subconscious, he wasn't even sure that where it actually was, but as he stood before it he knew he wouldn't be satisfied until he looked inside.

Gladio walked around the building until he found the ambulance bay. If Athenacia was anywhere, it would be here in emergency medicine. The glass sliding doors parted ways in order for him to enter the waiting area and he looked around quickly at the patients waiting. It seemed they were extremely busy here, far more patients than staffing - just like the code grey he had assisted with. That felt like such a long time ago now. The Shield walked to the triage station, keeping his amber eyes peeled for any sign of his prey. Doctors and nurses alike were running around in a frenzy, the air conditioning in here not working up to its usual expectation. They were all tired, probably having to deal with the influx of Insomnian refugees. Disappointed that Athenacia wasn't here, he turned to leave almost feeling defeated.

"Gladio!"

The familiar voice had him back toward the triage station once he had reached the waiting room. There was a ginger-haired pregnant blur running towards him from behind the doors to admittance. Gin, the resident nurse at the hospital in Insomnia seemed to almost double in size with her pregnancy, however, she was having no trouble plowing through her co-workers to get to him in a hurry. Gladiolus was facing her completely as he waited for her to reach him, her face contorted with a mix of worry and relief.

"Gin," he put a hand up to stop her from colliding with him - carefully, as he didn't want to damage her baby.

"I'm so happy to see you! Are you okay? Is Cia with you? What happened?! They're saying the city fell!" the words tumbled out of her mouth while she tried to catch her breath.

Gladio's heart sank for the second time that night. Athenacia really wasn't here. He was so sure though!

"Slow down," he said calmly.

"The city... Insomnia... Is it really gone?"

The look on his face told her all it needed to. Gin immediately put her hands to her face and started crying into them. Gladiolus put a comforting arm around her. awkward because of her size. How was it possible that she didn't know about the invasion? Was she here the entire time? That could be the only explanation. The nurse wiped her tears from her face and he let her go, waiting for her to compose herself a little before beginning his own line of questioning.

"She's really not here?" asked Gladiolus, trying not to sound defeated.

Gin shook her head, "No," she sniffed, wiping her eyes again, "We were loading patients for transport and she just told me to leave with one of them. It was so abrupt I had no idea what to think."

Gladio frowned at that, "She told you to leave?"

She nodded, "She came to work with her weapon and a packed bag. She ordered me in the rig and told me she had a bad feeling."

"She was ready for a fight..."

"Some of the others that made it said the last time they saw her she was fighting MagiTek troopers on her way out of the hospital. I've been trying to reach her but it just keeps going to voicemail."

The Shield sighed, running a hand through his hair. The gnawing fear on his insides only increased, however, he couldn't say he was all that surprised to find out that Athenacia wasn't around. It was possible she just hadn't made it over here yet. Repressing a sigh, he tried to keep his face neutral, knowing that he was just grasping for straws at this point. If the doctor hadn't made it here then that only left two options: she didn't plan on showing up or the Empire had taken here. Gladio refused to even think about the third one.

"What about Cor?" asked Gin, taking him out of his thoughts.

He shook his head, "He's hunting her now but he lost sight of her inside the city."

Fresh tears fell down Gin's face, "Tash hasn't come by either. Her sons are here though."

"I'll be sure to let her know once I see her. My sister is staying at the hotel here, Iris. If you find anything out let her know."

"Okay. Keep me posted."

Gladiolus nodded at the nurse and she turned her back then, going back to her job. The Shield left the hospital, heaving a sigh with his heart heavy.

...

Athenacia stared up at the stars from the bed of her truck, in a parking spot in the light, not wanting to stay out with the daemons and unwilling to be near civilization either. She was alone, a few days after finding the Oracle one night and then waking up to the woman gone. The doctor didn't even remember dozing off but she had to have at some point because she woke up and it was daylight. At least she hadn't screamed loud enough to attract any unwanted attention, there was enough of that on her as it was. The day was fairly uneventful, spent hunting for some food and then trying but failing to find another haven to crash in. Athenacia ended up just driving her truck to one of those well lit but rarely used parking spots and going to lay in the bed of it. Her gaze remained on the sky as it slowly began to grow darker, satisfied that she had ran into not a single person nor Imperial. It was perfect, however, she sighed as she pulled out the note left to her by Lady Lunafreya.

_I apologize for my abrupt absence. Where I go, the Empire is sure to follow and I cannot risk your life with my own. I must complete my duty as Oracle to the Chosen King. Should you cross paths again, I hope it finds you both in good health. I will carry your grief with me until I find a way to heal it. Be well, gentle Cia, and don't forget to lean on those who care for you most. I sincerely hope that we meet again, and I thank you for all you and your friends have done for me._

Athenacia had no idea how a woman she had never met before was going to carry around grief that didn't belong to her. It seemed that since she left the city she was meeting all kinds of colourful characters. Often she listened to the radio in order to get some sort of idea of what was going on around her, however, the propaganda of the Empire proved difficult to gather sufficient information. Two people they claimed to be dead were actually alive and well, roaming around Lucis in order to reclaim their territory. And what was she doing? She was running away like she usually did. Athenacia had to run, she was a danger to everyone around her, had killed far too many hostiles and friendlies. There was blood on her hands that would never wash off and she had no one to blame but herself. It was why she left the war and devoted herself to healing. The physician never wanted to take lives, only save them. The Empire had taken so much from everyone, but in the end, the only true monster was herself. Sighing, she continued to stare at the twinkling lights above her. A tear threatened to fall down her cheek, wishing she wasn't the daemon everyone said she was. After the invasion, there really was no doubt about it, no more running away from the truth.

At least everyone didn't believe her to be a murderous monster. The King himself had listened to the very tale she told Cor and she knew that it sounded absolutely mad, however, Cor had seen the aftermath and he knew her, trained her, raised her. For whatever reason, she trusted his judgement that she tell the King. Then, she was probably foolish to make her demands. Never to see battle again but go somewhere that her healing gift would be useful. Only Cor knew that she had magic. Whether the King knew or not he chose not to ask her about it.

The young doctor missed the hospital, her life inside of Insomnia. It wasn't glamorous but at least she was kept busy. That was the problem since the city fell and she went on the run. There was nothing here to distract her from her own thoughts. A desperate distraction would be heavenly right about now, unable to take up hunting because that would gain the attention of others. What was a girl to do? The wail of a nearby daemon drew her attention away from her thoughts. What the hell? Killing daemons would be a very welcoming distraction. Might make the area just a tad bit safer to, even tire herself out so she could get a dreamless sleep. Rising from her position in the bed of her truck, she unsheathed her weapon readied herself for the hunt.

Athenacia jumped down from the street and scurried across the grassland fields on noiseless feet. Crouching down and keeping the point of the gladius low, she cursed herself inwardly for forgetting her gauntlet. Oh well, she would have to adapt. There were three goblins, four imps and two bombs. Her best bet was the bombs first seeing as left to their own devices they would do the most damage. Her jaw set, she quickly approached her enemies, taking out one bomb swiftly and then flipped over into an imp. The path to the other bomb was barred and she had no choice but to cut her own path toward it. Slashing at the imps, taking out three of them in her three strikes, she jumped out of the way of the goblins before taking a hit from behind her. It was a shock, however, she was on her knees and took out the remaining goblins with her blade and then turned to face what was left.

Arachne. Brilliant. Athenacia had lost sight of the bomb that was originally part of the daemon cluster but she had no time to look either, as her enemy was approaching her. Blocking with her gladius, she was internally cursing herself for not bothering to come prepared. Some ego she had. The doctor slashed at one of the legs and then quickly slid underneath in order to lay another blow on the soft underbelly. The ugly thing screeched in pain and she quickly scrambled to her feet. It swiftly turned to strike her, making contact and knocking her back. There was a laceration on her right upper arm and it was slowly filling with poison. Athenacia had also twisted her ankle with her landing. She had to end this and she had to do it right now so she could get back to her med kit. Swinging her gladius quickly, she was able to take out one of the legs and again went underneath toward the weak spot. Once she was on the other side she stabbed the sack on the back and the Arachne screeched again, distracted enough for her to lay the killing blow.

A small sigh of relief escaped her lips, feeling her vision go slightly blurry at the poison that was now coursing through her veins. When she caught her breath she was leaning on her legs with her own hands, arms wishing to tremble at her weight. Then she was knocked to the ground by a huge impact on her back, feeling electricity jolt through her body. Athenacia screamed out in pain as she landed on the hard ground beneath her. The blow was nearly devastating, leaving her unable to move while she drew in shallow breaths as she tried to keep herself conscious. She wasn't safe here in the dark, her vision beginning to flicker from normal to red, her skin starting to burn. Pulse quickened as she realized what was happening to her.

_Let's see where you turn up next._

That same sinister laugh sounded in her ears and tears welled up in her eyes. No, she would not let that happen. Forcing herself to lift her body, she turned to make sure none of the danger was around her before she made her way back toward the truck, dragging her right foot as she did so. Pain surged through her with every movement, but she had to get to her med kit. There was no other option, she would not let that evil man anywhere near her again. As she finally dragged herself into the safety of the street lights, she stumbled into the passenger door of her truck before finally focusing her blurry red vision and opening it up. Grunting, she hastily fumbled for her bag and unzipped it, searching through her vials until she recognized the fuzzy print of the antidote. That was administered first before she pulled a syringe that was already full of a clear liquid and jabbed that into her leg, pushing the plunger. The effects of the drugs hit her immediately, her world changing from red to black as she fell to the ground unconscious.


	27. Unwanted Guest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for your kind words, your support, your kudos, everything!

Gladiolus was not going to sleep tonight, he and his companions were bunking in a camper with a strange man only known as Ardyn. The first time they had encountered the stranger he was in Gadlin Quay, informing them of the lack of ferries to Altissia and giving them a strange coin. Later on in Lestallum, after they had come back from the cave behind the waterfall, this man seemed to be there waiting for them. Noctis was having headaches as of late, strange ones that didn't affect anyone else, however, he was seeing the astral known as Titan and since they couldn't physically go and have a look, they went toward the outlook which is where Ardyn was waiting for them. Conveniently, he was willing to take them to the Archeon as what seemed to be a good gesture.

They decided to go and Ardyn insisted on Noctis driving the car. It wasn't a very long drive, they had only made it as far as Coernix Station where it was decided that they would use the camper instead of a haven - due to Ardyn's insistence. Gladiolus didn't trust this man at all. The vibes he was getting were completely negative and he wore a scowl on his face more often than not since they agreed to go on this journey with him. On top of that, every time he made eye contact with Ardyn the man simply smiled in a suspicious way, like he knew something intimate and personal and wasn't going to share it The guy even looked shady, amber coloured eye that hid some sort of ulterior motive behind them. His hair was long, purplish or red, hard to see based on the different lights hitting it, and his age was difficult to pinpoint but it seemed older than his appearance. The worst of it was his smile, that wide, amused smile that occupied his face filled with deceit and what looked like a hint of jealousy. Words flowed out of his mouth in a thick, accented voice and carried with them an insult lying beneath every single one of them. His demeanour, in general, was suspicious enough and it put all of them on edge, making him an extremely unwanted guest.

After they had eaten with awkward conversation, everyone except Gladiolus had gone to bed. Instead, he was out at one of the tables reading one of Athenacia's medical texts that Ignis had borrowed. The Shield had taken to doing that a lot lately despite having brought his own books. While he didn't understand a lot of what he was reading, it only made him admire her more for being able to know all of this stuff. Being a doctor was hard work, he was aware of that, however, he never knew how much actually went into it. Since the invasion, he usually selected a book at random and starting to eat through it during drives or when he needed a distraction from his thoughts; and since he had arrived in Lestallum they seemed to be racing when he wasn't focused on Noctis. After the conversation he had with Gin in the hospital, more questions seemed to rise within him. The voice message Athenacia had left him was listened to at least twice per day, not having the heart to delete it. She knew that something was going to happen that day, but she seemed to have it in her head that he and the others were in danger as well. Specifically, she had mentioned more than once that she was relieved they were okay and to keep safe. The more he listened to it, the more it worried him. Had she known that the city would fall? How? Was she indeed a spy? Gladio didn't believe it. Cor didn't believe it then he didn't either. The Marshal is probably the one that convinced her to pack up a bag in the first place, never trusting the Niffs from day one and rightfully so, however, it still rose a bunch of questions. If she knew something, why wouldn't she tell him?

The large man sighed, leaning back in his chair and closing the book. He wasn't really focused on it anyway and he was sure it was because this one was mostly on the infectious disease and he didn't want to lose his dinner. The other one he was reading was a lot better, containing different poisonous ailments pertaining to all over Eos and the different courses of treatment. Gladio grabbed that one from the bag and actually continued from where he marked his page. Did Athenacia really know all of this? How could one person possibly memorize all of these facts and then use them in a split second while in the middle of a battlefield? She really was something else. The door to the camper opened, then closed, and immediately his body felt defensive. Ardyn behind him. Gladio's face went back to a scowl as he tried to focus on the words in front of them. Their guest sat in a chair on the opposite side of the table. The Shield didn't acknowledge him, not wanting anything to do with him despite that he could feel the amber stare burning into his soul it seemed like. That amused look still occupied his face and it made Gladio even more uneasy about everything.

"Those are quite the books. Looking for a second career?" Ardyn spoke in his thick accent and amused manner.

"They're not mine," grunted Gladiolus, not even bothering to raise his eyes.

"I had thought not. None of you appear to be this far advanced in medicine."

"They belong to a friend," Gladio looked up with suspicion.

Ardyn's eyes seemed to brighten, "Ah yes a friend. All friends are important, but ones you take an interest in can be the dearest to your heart. Tell me, did this friend make it out of your once fair city okay?"

Gladiolus just shrugged, "Doesn't matter."

"Uncertainty can be a trying thing," his expression was almost bored, "But I find that some things, or even some people, turn up in the most unusual of places."

Gladiolus just narrowed his eyes. Ardyn only offered that same smile before wordlessly standing from his seat and leaving the Shield alone again. The words running through his head caused him to frown, sounding like he was trying to toy with him. Nothing about that guy made any sense and the sooner they got to part ways with him, the better.

Shaking his head, he brought his attention back the book he was reading. What he also liked the most about this one was the bestiary listed, and that included daemons. As a combat medic, she would need to know all of these while out in the field. He flipped the page, coming to one he hadn't the pleasure of running into. Arachne. They spit out level six poisons which are only responsive to two types of antidotes. The wrong one can speed up symptoms which lead victims to expire. Gladio's frown deepened as he took in the words, looking over at the images on the page. Listed there were the antibodies that were needed to fight off the poison and what would happen if the victims were left untreated. Flipping the page again, he wondered how in the hell Athenacia was able to deal with all of this. Some of the diagrams made him feel queasy, he couldn't imagine having to be up close and personal with it.

Sighing, he leaning back in the chair and looking up at the stars. Sleep would elude him tonight and not just because he was on guard duty about Ardyn. At times like these, Gladiolus found he couldn't stop thinking about Athenacia, the girl occupying his mind completely when he wasn't busy watching Noctis. He really missed her, never realizing how much until she wasn't around. After the way he acted, he was lucky she even gave him a chance again the way she did. Her last words to him swam through his head and he again wondered how much she knew about the signing ceremony. At least she was armed, wherever she was. Somehow in the pit of his gut, he knew that they would cross paths again soon, he just hoped that when they did she was alive and well.

...

Athenacia's heart raced as she looked through the binoculars stationed at the lookout point of Lestallum. The Archeon, Titan, was awake and the Empire was on the way, but she also saw four specific people right in the way of the astral's wrath. Whatever Gladiolus and others were doing there, she hoped that they would make it out alive. The quakes from the God had stirred everyone else to the same place so that they could have a proper look. Iris was fretting right beside her, the only reason that she had come this far and stayed in the first place.

The young doctor had not really meant to come into Lestallum again at all. After using a mild sedative on herself the other night, she woke up with a splitting headache. Athenacia knew why, of course, on her way down she managed to hit her head on the door of the truck. It was stupid, she really should have planned that out better but the poison didn't help. Thankfully the sun was only just starting to rise so no one had been by to go through her stuff. The other benefit: it was dreamless, even if it was for only an hour. Clearly the dosages were measured wrong, a problem that she fixed immediately. Her ankle was still twisted so she used her magic to heal that up, and magicked her laceration where the Arachne had struck her. It left a faint scar, hopefully one that would fade away before long. Once that was finished, she gathered all of her things, ready to leave.

The physician took off from that spot, going back to her aimless wandering around Lucis, however, supplies were running low and she needed some clean clothes. Unfortunately, all of that was in the humid city, so she begrudgingly made her way back in her truck. While filling it with gas, Iris had caught sight of her and  _insisted_  that the woman meet her brother. Athenacia was not interested in that whatsoever, but didn't say something about it. There would be plenty of opportunities to slip out before Gladiolus returned to the city for any reason, despite how much she actually did want to see him. The flaw in that was, Iris wasn't going to let the young doctor out of her reach, especially after Talcott was also informed of "Tia's" return. It wasn't entirely unpleasant to have them along while she did her shopping, in fact, a woman's opinion on new clothing was a welcoming approach. Athenacia was able to get a few decent items without exhausting her savings, wishing to delay the notion of hunting that would expose her to more people. Then an earthquake shook the very ground beneath them. Someone had screamed about the Archeon and they all found themselves in the outlook area to see what was going on.

Iris was the first to look and she spotted her brother instantly. That was when Athenacia's breath caught in her throat. Once the young Amicitia had let the doctor take a look, she couldn't take her hazel gaze away. The doctor watched Gladiolus and Noctis run away from the God while also trying to fight him off. It was nerve-wracking, especially when the Empire had shown up with their dreadnaughts. Now they all waged battle against a God. What were they thinking? Seriously, a God? She just couldn't bear to watch it anymore and as she took her eyes away, someone else had pushed in between the two women in order to get a better look. Athenacia went to stand on the other side of Iris who was just a wreck. Talcott had taken the doctor's hand tightly as he looked on with the wonder of a young boy and the worry of a child. The three of them watched but all they could see was an army of airships and clouds of dust coming up from where the astral would swing his giant arm. Each strike made the doctor more nervous than the last, something that Iris was also having trouble coping with.

"What are they doing there anyway?" asked Athenacia.

"Noct needs Titan's blessing," answered Iris.

"Excuse me?" she frowned.

"I don't know much about it, just that he needs the blessings of the Gods."

Titan's blessing? Whatever for? Is this what the Oracle meant when she said she had to aid the King? Is the truth of the stories Cor used to tell her as a young girl before bed coming to pass? But it couldn't be real. None of this was making any sense. Athenacia was so cut off from everything the last few days that she had no idea about what was going on around her despite being in the outside world. It was a good thing she decided to come back to the city today or else she was sure she'd be caught up in action at the Disc. That was the sort of attention she didn't need.

Her eyes snapped into focus as a blinding golden light surrounded the Archeon. Talcott squeezed her hand tighter while Iris shoved her head into the older woman's shoulder, all of them shielding their eyes from it. And then he was simply gone. The physician's breath caught in her throat once more as her eyes widened. The explosion took out the nearby dreadnaughts - which caused Iris to wail and latch onto the doctor with tears in her eyes. Athenacia put a comforting arm around the girl while she continued to watch the scene before her. If only she could see down here, to know what happened to Gladiolus and the others. Fear gripped her heart as she pictured them dead, bodies strewn among the ground lifeless, the sort of things that cropped up in her nightmares. A breath escaped her when she saw a single dreadnaught make its way out of the Disc. There was no help for it, she would have to remain in Lestallum until she heard some more news of what went on down there. Assuming they had made it out alive - and she sincerely hoped that they did - she was going to wait around until they contacted Iris. Hell, she was going to sit around in the shadows until they came back for her, because Athenacia had to see for herself with her own eyes that everyone was okay.

...

The next morning Athenacia slipped out of the bed in the hotel room of Lestallum quietly. Ordinarily, she would have stayed in her truck for the night, however, the distraught young Talcott had clung to her in the hopes that she would stay. Jared had chided him but Athenacia assured the man that everything was okay. The truth of the matter was, the boy provided her with some comfort as well and she didn't want to leave him just yet. Iris had managed to sleep only after her brother had told her that they were all safe and would talk when he got back. Athenacia had no idea when that was going to be but she definitely wasn't going to be sleeping in the same room as his sister. Despite the fact that she looked different, Gladio would recognize her instantly, of that she was certain. Besides, she just wanted to observe from a distance and get back to... well whatever it was that she was doing.

Sighing lightly, she pulled the covers back over Talcott to rest under his chin. Keeping a light smile on her face, she looked over at Iris who was also snuggled into her bed. The doctor then padded quietly across the carpeted floor toward the bathroom and shut the door behind her with a soft  _click_. Taking a look at herself in the mirror, she was shocked at her own appearance. The dye was starting to grow out a bit but that wasn't really an issue she had. There was dirt all over her face and it dawned on her that it had been a long time since she had a proper shower and probably stunk something fierce. Her hazel eyes were still puffy and bloodshot with those same dark circles, however, she seemed to look a little better than usual. Hair was matted and greasy from not having been washed in a few days, a scrape on her cheek from her hunting and she could see the scar on her arm from fighting the Arachne with a few contusions here and there. Nothing serious at least.

Tearing her gaze away, she grabbed the tie from the end of her braid and pulled it out, placing it on the counter before beginning to unlace the braid with deft fingers. It was a bit of a struggle, all tangled and knotted together. Once it was finished, she fanned it out across her back, her eyes catching that ugly scar on the right side of her neck. Athenacia took her finger and traced over it, most of it dirty from her poor treatment of herself. The blemished skin only made her feel more disgusted and she pulled her wavy hair over her shoulder, hiding it again. Turning her back on her reflection, turned the water on in the tub and got the shower going. Steam started to billow out and she began to peel off her extremely dirty clothes, leaving them on the ground before stepping in. Athenacia sighed in relief as the scorching hot water turned her skin red instantly, basking a moment, closing her eyes and releasing a content sigh as the water fell off of her. That familiar tranquillity took over and she was reluctant to leave it. When she opened them again, she could see the dirt coming off of her so she grabbed a cloth to begin scrubbing. Her skin was raw by the time she was finished, her pressure increasing as images from the devastation of Insomnia and her own monstrosity of power came into her mind. Tears escaped the bottom of her eyes, the blood not coming off, just like when she was in the war. The cloth was thrown away in disgust, dirty from her and the clear water suggesting that she was clean. Athenacia knew better, she would never be clean with all those lives on her hands.

The doctor wiped the steam from the mirror when she was finished, wrapping a towel around her slender frame and stared back at the ugly scar that now gleamed in the lighting above her. This thing would always remind her of the failure she was, all the screams that filled her ears whenever she closed her eyes. Clenching her jaw, she grabbed another towel and began to dry her hair with it. When she was finished fussing with it, she then began the methodical twisting of her hair, leaving it in that braid that perfectly hid that ugly scar, the identifier that put everyone in danger while she remained. The towel was tossed aside before she rummaged through one of the shopping bags from yesterday, pulled on her clothes and having another look at herself. Her damp hair was hiding her left eye while the braid came down her right shoulder against her neck and stopped just short of her last rib. To help hide her blemish, she wore a sleeveless shirt that didn't come against her neck but didn't hang too low from her collarbone either and was a darker pink. Her light jeans with a tear in the upper right thigh and lower left knee were a little loose on her hips but her belt helped with that. Sighing again, her fingers ran along where her necklace would be. Eventually she would get it back, for now, it was where it belonged. At least she hoped it was.

Athenacia carefully opened the door, picking up her dirty clothes and placing them with her bag. The younger two were still sleeping soundly and she didn't want to wake them up. Pulling on her boots, she debated on strapping her weapon to her back or not. Chewing her lip in thought, she decided against it, knowing it would make her stand out walking around the city with a weapon. The goal was to blend in, not attract unwanted attention. Down the stairs of the hotel and out the door, the unmistakable smell of breakfast foods starting to cook, invading her nostrils and reminding her of the last time she ate. Her stomach began to reprimand her for the poor excuse of sustenance she had been feeding it, placing her hands there and walking to the smell that stood out to her nose the most. The physician paid for her food while making minimal eye contact with the vendor and began to eat quickly. Shoving a rather large last bite in her mouth, she began walking the streets, doing her best to blend into the crowds. It was almost nice to try and feel normal again and be around other people.

Memories washed over her as she gathered food for the upcoming trip in the market. The first time she had ever come here was with Cor and she didn't have time to really enjoy it. With the Glaive, she wasn't able to do much exploring but thankfully the foods she liked to eat the most were right near the hotel. It wasn't the same as Insomnia, nothing was ever going to be like that for a long while, however, she was still happy with what this place had to offer. It was too bad that she couldn't just stay here and live with the rest of the refugees. If only she knew why that strange man was chasing her down. Surely he could have just killed her and got it over with, instead he was playing games with her, leaving her with one eye over her shoulder and in constant fear of being. Sighing, she held her bags tightly and began to walk away from the crowds of people. Cor taught her better than this, to not let the enemy inside her head or else she had already lost the battle.

Athenacia was again caught up in her thoughts - only this time they were on Gladiolus. The images of him, the Prince and all the chaos that surrounded them while basically at the astral's feet played over in her head. Gladio... she wanted to see him so badly, missed him more than she realized. It was easier before she had actually seen him for herself, even if it was through a lens. The dangers surrounding him was much more serious than previously thought and if there was something she could do to help, she wanted to. There had to be a way for her to get a message to him, a way to meet up without bringing the enemy to them with the target on her back. For now, the safest place for her was away from all of them.

The doctor grunted as someone had bumped into her, knocking her off balance a little and pulling her from her thoughts. Instantly she looked back at the man with a frown on her face and her eyes met his. He was taller than her, with piercing green eyes and messy untamed black hair on top of his head. There was a scar on his chin that was obscured by his short beard, but his eyes were studying her a moment and she felt scared that this man knew her despite never seeing him before in her life. Shaking his head, he turned around and kept walking, not bothering to talk to her or look back again. Athenacia breathed a sigh of relief and then continued her journey, looking back one last time to make sure no unfriendly eyes were upon her.


	28. Her Favour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your support!

The sky wept for what seemed like ages since Gladiolus and the others had gotten out of the Disc of Cauthess days ago. The four of them were somewhat defeated, left at the chocobo station while they waited for word on the whereabouts of the Regalia. The mechanic from the garage in Hammerhead, Cindy, was on the hunt for the car, however, the Shield and Ignis were convinced that it was confiscated by the Empire. So now they waited around for word but it was taking a while and he was getting a little impatient with it all. In fact, he was fed up completely. After taking on a God - which was not one of his best ideas regardless of if he had a choice or not - they were left for dead with Imperial dreadnaughts everywhere. The four of them had no idea how they were to get out of their mess but lo and behold, that strange man known as Ardyn was there to rescue them; only they had found out he was indeed the Chancellor of Niflheim himself. Ignis conceded they had no other option but to accept his help and Gladiolus was not happy with the choices presented to them, but they made it out and were dropped not too far from the outpost. Of course, they were left without their car and no real way to get back to Lestallum, or anywhere else for that matter. Noctis was unwilling to move on without it and here they were, stuck in one spot.

The stench of chocobos was starting to become so constant Gladio could hardly smell it anymore. They were staying in the camper for now until they heard some sort of word on the Regalia. Wiz, the owner, was letting them stay there for free and it was a kind gesture. Even if they had the car, blockades were being set up all over the place and made it difficult to travel anyway. Then, of course, there was this damn, never ending rain that just put most in a bad mood. There was nothing they could do, they were stranded until they heard from Hammerhead. It didn't do so well with someone who often had to take action instead of sitting around and waiting.

"Look, there's Umbra!" said Prompto, distracting them from their speculation.

Umbra was one of Lady Lunafreya's dogs. Gladiolus was used to the small animal making his appearance over the last twelve years to Noctis. It was how the two of them communicated over the distance and though Noctis didn't talk much about it, Gladiolus knew that it made the difference in the young Prince's life. The dog was usually a welcomed sight and the Shield enjoyed the happy animal even if he never did understand how the dog managed to find them all the time, especially with how far he would have to travel. Gladio didn't question it much either, magic not really his area of expertise. Umbra began to lead them a little way from of the outpost, rounding a tree and then stopped abruptly. There was a woman standing behind it, a gentle smile on her face as she observed them all. Tall and slender, with long black hair that hung pin straight and olive green eyes. Her lips were as red as the ring around them and she was dressed in her formal wear as usual. Gladiolus felt a little strange around her but knew exactly who she was. Gentiana, a messenger. When she spoke, her voice almost sounded like an echo as she delivered her message that the Oracle would be waiting for them in Altissia. Then, in the blink of an eye, she disappeared, as if she were never there in the first place.

Noctis knelt down to the dog and pulled out that book. The three other men were patient as he leafed through the book. Sometimes it would take longer than others but it was important so they didn't say anything. The Prince reached for something in his pocket, composing his reply before replacing the book back, lingering a moment longer.

"What's this?" asked Noctis, pulling something from Umbra's collar.

The young royal stood from his post as Umbra ran off, turning to the others with a confused frown on his face as he looked at his hand. Gladiolus saw something shine there, tensing as soon as he recognized it.. The object in the Prince's hand was a silver chain, dangling from his fingers and spinning, catching the little light as it did so. At the end of it was a disk that had a tree inside of it, amber orbs intent upon them as it moved.

"That's Cia's..."

Gladio's face was stiff, his face unreadable as he remained fixated on it. Prompto looked down at his feet with uncertainty and Ignis turned his face away from the Shield, also at a downward angle. Noctis looked up at his friend a little sadly, before putting his attention back toward his own hands. Glancing at his friend, he held out the chain and a small note slowly. Gladiolus met his gaze, unclenching his hands from his own arms and taking them.

"It was on Umbra's collar," said Noctis a little tentatively, unable to face him.

_I'm sorry._

That's all that was written on the note. Gladiolus frowned at it before he observed the necklace. It wasn't Athenacia's writing and he was at a loss. Crushing the paper, he tossed it aside in order to better examine the necklace with the other hand. It was the first sign of her since the attack on the city and he didn't know what to make of it. Only one thing was clear, she had seen the Oracle at some point because that was the only way this would have come to him the way it did. He had been so focused on everything that happened since the trial of Titan he didn't spend much time thinking about the doctor's whereabouts. Why did she send this to him? Did she die? Did she plan on dying? Or had this happened after the city fell? There was no time to wonder about it, wrapping the chain around his wrist underneath the small sleeve he kept on his left arm. The tree disc hung out of it a bit and he tucked it back in there for safe keeping. Athenacia always wore that necklace, hardly ever took it off and Gladio swore he'd be take care of it until he finally met up with her again - because he couldn't think of the alternative, not right now anyway. Looking up at Noctis he nodded to signal that he was ready for the next step in their journey.

...

Athenacia was disgruntled. The city of Lestallum was experiencing a heat wave and it was making others grouchy. Yes, she was still in Lestallum, standing on the terrace looking out over the city and wishing she wasn't so close to anyone. It had been days and there was rain everywhere. The muggy weather only made things worse for her as she was pretty much trapped inside. She would have left by now and come back twice, however, she couldn't even if she wanted to; the Empire had put up blockades and checkpoints all over. They claimed it was for safety but she wasn't so easily fooled. They were looking for someone, whether it was her, the Prince or the Oracle, or even all three, she couldn't be sure, she just knew that she was stuck here in Lestallum.

The doctor had the resolve to stay in the shadows and await the arrival of Gladiolus and the others - just to observe, she wouldn't approach the Prince with a target on her back. Then she would disappear, taking solace in knowing that they were all safe. He had informed Iris that they lost their car and were stuck until they found it. It had been several days since then and Athenacia had wanted to get out of one spot before people started to notice her, however, that wasn't the case at all so she mostly stayed in the hotel room with Iris and Talcott. Neither of them wanted to go outside in the rain anyway. The physician sighed as she went back inside. At least the terrace had an awning so that she could stay dry but there was only so much people watching she could do before she felt that she herself was being watched. Talcott was with his grandfather, Jared, getting something to eat while Iris was on her phone doing who knew what. Athenacia had really nothing to do, living mostly out of her truck and didn't pack any sort of reading material. Usually, at a time like this, she would also be on her phone reading, however, her phone was smashed in all the chaos that consumed the Crown City.

"I think you'd like my brother," said Iris without raising her eyes from her phone.

"I doubt I'll have the chance. I have to head toward the hunter headquarters once the blockade is lifted," replied Athenacia.

Iris looked sad at that, "You can't just stay to say hi?"

"Afraid not."

They were silent again, Athenacia trying desperately not to get into a deep conversation with Iris about Gladiolus. She missed him terribly but was happy that he was alive and well. At least while she was stuck here, she could keep track of him without worrying too much.

About two days later the weather finally broke and the rain let up. People breathed sighs of relief as they were able to go outside and stay dry. Three, in particular, were happy to get out of that stuffy hotel room and breath in a little fresh air. Athenacia, Iris and Talcott were aimlessly wandering around Lestallum only for the sake of being outside. The humidity was going down a bit and not only did the smell of fresh rain fill her nostrils as she walked, but also the food and she was a sucker to pass up anything here. This was definitely, so far, her favourite place to eat. The young doctor was still wearing her boots as she didn't have any other shoes with black shorts and that same pink top she had purchased days ago when she had arrived back in the city. The doctor kept that braid over her identifying scar and her face hidden as much as possible behind her bangs. Unarmed, she was a little uneasy with so many people, however, it was difficult to blend in with a weapon strapped to her back. The other thing that made her feel less complete was the absence of her necklace, the thing she had never parted with since as far as she could remember. The physician was hoping that it had safely made its way toward its destination - however Lady Lunafreya was doing it.

Athenacia still completely avoided anything to do with the hospital an although she had spotted some of her former staff, they didn't recognize her. It put her at ease to know that people she worked with didn't know her on sight. If Gin knew where she was then the woman could easily be in danger herself. The young doctor could not risk that unborn child. Hell, she was still a little uneasy about lingering in the city as long as she had been but had no choice due to the never ending blockade. Either way, there were plenty of other places to go without having to go near that building. Talcott was happily enjoying his snack as he walked in between both women. Iris was chatting away about power plant or anything else that came to her mind, eager to speak of Noctis quite often and her "date" with him when they had come to the city. Athenacia could only smile at the young girl's enthusiasm, wondering how the Prince and his Shield felt about it, or if the younger man even knew.

"What about you Tia? Did you have a boyfriend?" asked Talcott.

"Me? Oh well... Yeah, I... I did," she smiled softly at them.

"What was he like?" asked Iris.

She smiled at her own memories, "Strong, positive. Giant ego though sort of was a deal breaker."

Iris rolled her eyes, "Yeah I know the type."

The doctor sighed, "I couldn't tell you what it was but..." she shrugged, "He's just, a really good guy you know? Always so thoughtful, even when he doesn't have to be."

"That's so cute! I wish my brother was more of a romantic person."

Athenacia snorted, "You'd be surprised sometimes."

Whatever Iris was going to say was cut off by someone screaming. The doctor's attention snapped toward the commotion that was starting in the city. Her eyes widened as she saw MagiTek troopers start to sweep the area. Shit. This was not good.

"Take Talcott and go find Dustin," instructed Athenacia, voice low and eyes intent.

"What about you?" asked Iris.

"Just go," she commanded in a tone that left no room for argument.

Iris nodded, grabbing the young boy by the arm and dragged him away from the troopers. Athenacia's eyes darted toward the parking spots and noted that she was unable to get to her truck in order to grab her weapon or get away. They probably had the exits blocked anyway. She wore a scowl on her face as she tried to get an idea of what was going on around her, however, she was only pushed roughly by someone on her back. She felt a gun behind her ear and immediately put her hands on her head, following the crowd of people where they were being herded. The unmistakable shape of a gun barrel was at the back of her ear, and she put her hands up in surrender as she was led back to the outdoor space in front of the Leville. The doctor wasn't the only one there, other Insomnian refugees and some Lestallum locals were being forced into the same spot. Athenacia was pushed to her knees into the sea of people and let her arms drop after she caught sight of Iris, Talcott, Jared and Dustin on the other side of the semi-circle. Hazel hues flickered all around her, noting the troopers with guns trained on all of them and that their exits were blocked. They were completely surrounded, forced to their knees and making it hard to attempt an escape. This did not bode well at all.

People were scared, hugging their loved ones and crying in fear of what was going on. Finally, the soldiers seemed to be done herding all of them and stood, waiting. Athenacia heard footsteps and out came who she could only assume was the one in charge. The man was dressed for war despite coming into a small town full of unarmed citizens, tall, with brown hair and lines all over his face. A scowl creased his features as he looked over all of them like they were the filth under his shoe. He probably thought them to be as well. There was someone else with him, a much younger man, blond hair and an amused smile on his face. While he was dressed in armour as well, it didn't appear to be nearly as eloquent as the older man. Athenacia recognized him as Loqi Tummelt, an officer for the Empire and a thorn in her side when she was younger and training with Cor.

"The boy, do you see him?"

Loqi was whispering to his commanding officer, quiet whispers, however Athenacia was able to pick it up, straining her ears and focusing. There were times in her life that she hated she was trained for war and now was definitely not one of them.

"He's here. Find his elder, he'll know the whereabouts of the Prince," replied the older man.

So that's what this was about. They blocked everything off because they couldn't find Noctis and the others. Now they had a giant city full of people and the Prince would be none the wise until they were finished here. This wasn't right and it made Athenacia's eyes narrow in hate at them. If they were lucky, the people they were searching for had long since skipped town and these idiots would leave them all alone - before she was picked out of a crowd. The doctor saw them point out toward her friends before a grunt had gone and grabbed the person they were searching for. Athenacia tensed as soon as she saw them roughly push Jared to the front.

"You're the Amicitia steward are you not? Tell me, where is the Prince?"

The old man did not move, loyal to the point that he would get himself killed. The young doctor knew that even if Jared had any idea of the royal's whereabouts, he would not crack under pressure, far too proud of his role in life.

"I'll ask again and only one more time nicely," said Loqi, "Where is Prince Noctis?"

Everything was silent. The tension was building up as fear engulfed the entirety of the crowd. No one would give up their Prince, not a single one of them. Athenacia cringed when she heard the smack given to Jared by the Loqi, exhaling deeply in order to remain calm. Talcott was screaming and the doctor could see that Iris had taken him in his arms and held him tightly, trying to quiet him.

"Tell me where the Prince is!" demanded the man called Caligo.

Jared remained still, facing his enemy without a trace of fear on his face. It was admirable, brave, and caused tears to well in the bottom of her eyes.

"Tell me now!"

No words came from the old man, not even when he was punched to the ground violently. Jared did not remove his face from his enemy, glaring them down. He was a tough son of a bitch, that no one could deny.

"Where is Prince Noctis?!" Caligo was becoming angry now.

Athenacia's face darkened as her enemy delivered a blow so hard she was certain her sensitive ears heard bones crack. This was how the Empire operated? Preying on the old and the weak? It made her blood boil. Caligo roughed him up and Iris shielded Talcott from view as the young man cried. This wasn't right. Jared wouldn't talk though, he was sworn to Amicitia and by extension, Caelum. Didn't this idiot know that? Probably not.

"Tell me where he is or you die!" yelled Caligo, taking out his sword as he held Jared by the scruff of his shirt.

Talcott's wails grew louder as Iris began her own sobbing. Athenacia observed them from where she forcefully kept with sorrow in her eyes before her hard look returned back toward the sight before her. Everyone was silent, filled with fear of what was happening. The MagiTek troopers had their guns trained on all of them so there was no hope of fighting them off without suffering casualties.

"Nothing?" Caligo raised a brow, "So be it!"

Iris wailed as she hugged Talcott tightly and Dustin hovered over her protectively. Athenacia's tears fell, angry as she watched the sword slide effortlessly into the heart of a dear and kind old man. That only caused more screams of panic to erupt from the crowd of Insomnian refugees. The girl could feel her hand trembling, the sound of Jared's body loud in her ears as it fell to the ground lifeless. This wasn't right. His fate should have been far better than that. She saw Crowe and Tash fall to the ground just as this man did, and many other comrades that had fallen beside her. The Empire was taking everyone away and she was powerless to stop them.

"No one knows where he is! Don't you monsters get that?!" shouted an all too familiar voice.

Athenacia's heart stopped as Caligo then grabbed a ginger-haired woman out of the crowd. She was pregnant, very pregnant, wearing scrubs for the hospital here in Lestallum. Gin screamed as the hair was practically being pulled out of her head. Tears fell down the nurse's eyes while she was forced to her knees, the blade parallel to her growing womb. This wasn't right. The doctor watched in fear for the unborn child and her friend.

"Anyone else have something useless to say to me?" asked Caligo, his voice riddled with malice.

Athenacia's fist tightened at her side. What could she do? Too many would die if she tried to fight. The longer she stared into the fearful eyes of her friend the more time seemed to stop. Iris and Talcott were crying as the blood of his grandfather leaked all around him into a giant pool. Gin was next if Athenacia didn't do something. This wasn't right. Another tear fell down her cheek as the tension grew with each passing second, however, no one made a move, and it was because of the simple fact that no one knew where the Prince was. Even if they did no one would talk, no one would risk their King who was out there doing his duty to them.

"Fine, where is Iris Amicitia?" Caligo spoke in almost a bored voice, "I know she's among you!"

That sprouted whispers among the refugees. This was only getting worse and the young girl began to sob even more as Dustin kept his protective stance over her. As a Crownsguard, he would lay his life on the line for her but there were many of them and only one of him. His plan wouldn't work and if this Caligo was asking where Iris was it meant that he didn't know who she was or what she looked like. Neither did any of the refugees because none of them even bothered to look at her. Not even Athenacia, she was observing through her peripherals as she kept her eyes trained on Gin.

"This woman will die if Iris does not come forward!"

Iris let out a loud sob. Caligo pressed his blade onto Gin's abdomen and was ready to attack. Athenacia watched in horror as he was getting ready to kill yet another one of them. This wasn't right, she couldn't let this happen. She was not powerless, she could wipe them all out instantly. That's right, she could take out every single last one of them, but not here or she'd kill innocent lives. No, she would have to isolate them somehow. Caligo was about to deliver the killing blow, just as Iris was inching her way toward her feet.

"No stop, It's me!" shouted Athenacia, sprouting to her feet and gaining the attention of everyone, "I'm Iris Amicitia!"

Caligo smiled, "Finally, we're getting somewhere."

"I'll go with you, tell you everything, but only if you let these people go and leave the city," she had tears in her eyes, ready to fall.

Everyone was staring at her in horror, including the pregnant nurse and the real Iris Amicitia. Gin's eyes were wide in recognition and fear but Athenacia didn't acknowledge her, keeping her gaze trained on her enemy as she was always taught to by Cor. The silence and anticipation felt like an eternity, a warm wind blowing slightly, adding to the hyper moods already spread throughout the terrified people.

"I think that's a fair trade, don't you?"

The owner of the voice was a person that struck fear to Athenacia's very core. Hazel eyes widened as she came upon the man from Insomnia, the one that was chasing her ever since the fall of the city. He only smiled that same evil smile at her as he came into view. The fists at her side clenched tightly as she tried desperately to keep her calm demeanour. This man knew her real name and could completely spoil what she was trying to do, putting all of these people into danger once more.

"She could be lying about telling us anything, I'd rather bring some insurance," replied Caligo.

"Perhaps you sell them short. There really is no trace of the Prince here or these fine people would have told you by now. Let's take the young Amicitia and go."

Caligo released Gin in disgust. So, it seemed that she wasn't the only one who had an issue with this man. The nurse didn't move, her eyes still in shock as she regarded her friend. Athenacia's gaze remained upon her enemy, straining to keep herself from breaking right then and there.

"Shall we, Miss?" the evil man smiled, offering his hand towards her.

Athenacia took small steps toward them, her skin crawling at every movement. There were still tears in the bottom of her eyes, willed to stay, refusing to show her fear in front of this monster. Caligo dismissed his men and the troopers dropped their weapons, beginning to evacuate the area. Athenacia reached the two men of Niflheim and then looked back one last time at the pregnant nurse. She then caught the eyes of Iris and Dustin before turning her back on all of them and walking beside her most feared enemy and leaving the scene. They were safe - for now.

Gin immediately got to her feet after that, wiping her tears and wishing there was more she could do. Instead, she walked toward the young girl, boy and obvious Crownsguard with a purpose. The teenage girl was completely distraught as she got to her feet, still shielding the young boy from the body of the man that was killed in all of this commotion, however, the pregnant woman had a purpose here, had to get this out.

"You're Iris Amicitia, aren't you? Gladio's sister?" asked Gin in a hushed voice.

Iris nodded, "Yeah," her voice quivered.

"You need to get in touch with your brother right away, maybe even Cor."

"W-Why?"

Gin fixed her a level glare.

"Because the woman they just took is in fact, Athenacia Virum."


	29. Gathering Intel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much!

The wind blew in their hair as they drove down the streets of Duscae on their way toward Lestallum. Gladiolus was in a bitter mood but he kept it internal. Cindy was able to find the Regalia and he was right in assuming the Empire had taken it. The location: Aracheole Stronghold. The base was big and he was a little upset that the Imperials had started to make themselves at home, however, Ignis had managed to keep them out of trouble until they actually found the car, having them cloaked in the night and using Noctis's warp strike ability to kill any MagiTek troopers that would get in the way. They were very fortunate to have those skills on their side.

Once they had cleared the troopers and found the car they were caught. They were able to wipe out their enemies and then went after the power source. It was a tough battle, almost a losing one, but Noctis's new skill with summoning astrals managed to turn the tide. Gladiolus was there to feel the presence of Titan when he awoke and was trying to attack them. Now he saw as the Fulgarian unleashed his wrath upon their enemies. He was bigger than anything Gladio had ever seen, bald with a flowing white beard and a staff, wiping out the Niflheim forces without even breaking a sweat. As they came to the car they were met with none other than the High Commander, Ravus Nox Fleuret. Lunafreya's brother had a serious grudge against Noctis, something consuming him about the past. Ravus was easily able to deflect Gladiolus, and ever since they had left the scene - again thanks to the Chancellor - the Shield was silently brooding to himself about his failure. Ravus seemed to have some sort of mechanical arm and Gladio's abdomen still hurt from where he was struck. He couldn't believe he was so easily tossed aside like he was nothing but a fly.

_A weak shield protects naught._

Ravus's voice taunted his mind. Frowning, he was toying with Athenacia's necklace around his wrist. Just another reminder of his failures. What sort of Shield was he if he couldn't even stand up to a punk like Ravus? To be so easily pushed away by one man? Gladio always feared he wasn't strong enough he, just never knew that it was actually true. All of this, he kept to himself, wouldn't trouble the others with something they couldn't understand, nor they could help with. So he kept his eyes distant on the scenery, deciding that he should check on Iris in Lestallum. The others were quick to agree that stopping in the city and seeing familiar faces was the best course of action. As they arrived in the parking spot the sun was beginning to set. Seemed like perfect timing, they could get some rest in the hotel for the night. No one else appeared to be too defeated so Gladiolus pushed his thoughts from his mind, tucking in the tree disc and following them towards the hotel. Iris was standing the lobby and she looked completely distraught. Something had happened to her and he immediately felt defensive.

"Oh Gladdy," she was near tears.

"What's wrong?" he was concerned.

"I let you down, I never made it to Caem," her tears fell down her cheeks, "The Empire came while you were gone."

"Gladio!" someone frantically shoved passed Prompto and towards him.

"Gin?" Gladiolus regarded the pregnant nurse curiously, looking between her and his sister.

"They took her Gladio, they have Cia!" said Gin in a panicked tone.

"What?!"

That only caused Iris to cry more. Gladio felt like he was struck another devastating blow by Ravus. Athenacia was alive... She was here in Lestallum... and now in the hands of the Emperor. What was going on here?

"Perhaps we should continue this conversation away from any possible unwanted company," suggested Ignis.

Gladiolus nodded, letting Iris lead the way up the stairs and toward her hotel room. Once they stepped inside he hovered over his sister who was sitting in a chair. The girl had done nothing but cry for who knew how long, making guilt ear away at him. He looked over at Gin, who was carefully seated on the bed with a hand on her swollen womb, moving awkwardly and seemed to have some back pain.

"Tell us what happened," said Ignis gently.

"They stormed us all, brought us together and started asking us where you were," began Gin.

"None of us said a word about Noct. They just showed up and then... poor Jared," said Iris

"What do you mean? What happened to Jared?" asked Gladiolus, trying to keep a lid on his own rage.

"There was nothing we could do!" cried Iris.

The tone of her voice told him everything he needed to know, confirmed when Gin was unable to face him. Gladio tightened his fists at his side, hating that once again he was powerless to stop the Empire. They heard a sound at the door, snapping his attention towards it. Talcott was in tears as he stood there, opening it slowly and that only made the Shield feel worse. Noctis walked to the young man who was wiping his tears with his arm. The Prince knelt down so that he was eye level with Talcott.

"It not right," said Noctis, "We should have been here."

"I couldn't stop them," whined Talcott.

"But I won't let the Empire get away with it. They'll pay for what they've done. I promise."

That appeared to make the boy feel better, "I believe in you, Prince Noctis," he said before fresh tears occupied his face and he walked away.

"You said they took Dr. Virum?" Ignis looked towards the pregnant nurse Gin.

"It should have been me," said Iris.

"What does that mean?" asked Gladiolus in fury.

"When they weren't getting answers about the Prince they started asking where Iris was," began Gin, "I opened up my big mouth and they were going to kill me too. But Cia stood and said  _she_ was Iris. She offered herself as a hostage in exchange for them to leave."

"So she was here all along?" asked Prompto.

"No she left after she drove us here," answered Iris.

"You said a nurse got you here?" stated the Shield, frowning.

"Gladio she looked different. She had long black hair and it was hiding her scar. But I know her face, I know it was her," supplied Gin.

"Long black hair?"

"Sounds like she was trying to hide herself," mused Ignis.

"Why would she do that?" asked Prompto.

"We cannot be certain unless we ask her."

"You have to save her, Gladdy," Iris cried more, "None of us would be here if it wasn't for her..."

"I wouldn't be here either..." said Gin sadly, "Nor would my child."

Gladiolus wore a scowl on his face. As much as he wanted to rush after her, it wasn't his decision, he had a job to do, a duty as Sworn Shield. Looking over at Noctis, who had a hard look on his face with everything he had learned tonight, they shared a small look before the Prince walked to the pregnant nurse that was having trouble sitting with her awkward size. Placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, she looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"We'll get her back," said Noctis, trying to assure the woman.

Gin nodded, "Thank you, Highness," she cried.

...

Gladiolus was on the terrace breathing in the night air, holding the necklace that was brought to him by Umbra. Thoughts raced as he stared intently at the silver chain. This entire time she was wandering around on her own. Who was she hiding from? What happened? Why hadn't she contacted anyone? Athenacia even hid her identity from Iris, knowing that she was his sister. Why? He didn't have answers, only she did. Twice now she had saved his sister, the first time by getting her to Lestallum and just now by offering herself up. Gladio was obligated to help her and he knew that even if Noctis hadn't agreed to it, he would have gone off by himself anyway. The Prince had managed to get to sleep, same with Prompto. Iris had gone to her own room with Talcott and Gin had returned to the hospital for work. Ignis was still awake but the Shield had no idea what he was up to, still toying with the necklace, fixated on it and the thought of her still being alive. They hadn't a chance to talk about their next move, it was getting late and he wasn't even sure where to start. Ignis had stepped out onto the terrace, leaning against the rail and looking out over the city. Gladiolus waited, knowing that the man was probably thinking of a way for them to move forward.

"Have you contacted the Marshal?" asked Ignis.

"Not yet," replied Gladio, not taking his eyes away from his hands.

"Perhaps he could enlighten us as to a location. He would be relieved to know the status of her well being."

Gladiolus grunted, wishing he had thought of that but he was plagued by so many things as of late, he wasn't really shocked that he didn't. Pulling out his phone, he fired off a quick message to Cor, not even sure what the Marshal could be doing at this hour but it was important. Thankfully, it didn't take long for him to call.

"Cor," said Gladiolus.

"Where is she?" asked Cor.

"On the move, the Empire has her."

"What?!"

"They came to Lestallum. They killed Jared trying to find us and they were going to take Iris. Cia offered herself as a hostage using Iris's name. I don't know where they went, no one does."

"If they think she's Iris they'll plan on using her as bait to get to you."

Gladio sighed, "Yeah, that's what I figured."

"I'll have a look around here and get back to you tomorrow morning."

He hung up the phone before Gladiolus had a chance to reply. Pocketing the phone, he gripped the necklace tighter. Ignis didn't say anything, didn't ask about the conversation, knowing that if there was something important then the Shield would have communicated it to him. Instead, he put a hand on his shoulder a moment before going back inside the room. Gladiolus went back to toying with that necklace. It seemed to calm his nerves a little as thoughts continued to race through his head. They were all negative, only uncertain scenarios concerning Athenacia and what the Empire was doing to her. The Shield knew that she wouldn't talk, especially since she was the only one here who hadn't seen them even running around. Iris said the nurse who saved them took off outside of the city, which could only mean that she was passing by and got caught up in this mess. She was protecting Iris and the others here.

_A weak shield protects naught._

Gladiolus tightened a fist. He wasn't weak and he was going to prove it; he was going to find Athenacia and bring her somewhere safe. He was going to make sure that no one close to him would even run the risk of getting hurt again. He was going to protect them, and Noctis, because he wasn't weak, he just wasn't. Even if the lingering pain of the hit he sustained was still causing him to wince once in a while. Gladio wasn't going to let anything get in his way, he was going to take them all out.

...

The morning came far too slow and Gladiolus was dozing in a chair. Anxiety kept him awake, so instead he stayed silent and eventually started reading another one of Athenacia books. The Shield ate through it in no time and then began his dozing but once the light hit his eyes he was up and alert. That wasn't the story with everyone else, however. Noctis, though restless in his sleep was still out. Prompto was stirring and Ignis was just getting up. Gladio wasn't going to rush Noctis, happy that the Prince was willing to go rescue her from the grasp of their enemy. Still, he was impatiently waiting for Cor to call him. Ignis didn't speak as he prepared himself for the day. Prompto finally opened up his eyes and then started to move around. Noctis was the only one left. Still, it wasn't like they could do anything until the Marshal had contacted them.

Gladiolus decided to leave the room, going toward the stairs and out of the hotel building. While walking, he was looking for any sign of unfriendly attention, not wanting the Empire to come back and sneak up on them. Eventually, they would find out that they didn't have the real Iris Amicitia and might want to do a double take. The Shield still couldn't believe that the doctor had done that, that she was the reason his sister had made it this far in the first place. It should have been him, he should have been the one to take care of his own family. No one would blame him, doing his duty to Noctis, but that didn't help his guilt. The Shield's wandering took him into the hospital, through the emergency department and into the waiting room. There were lots of patients here still, flooding the room with the ordeal that happened, however. Gladiolus spotted Gin quickly and motioned for her to come see him. The nurse swiftly darted to him, walking with him outside where it was less crowded. That worried frown remained on her face as she held his arm in desperation for some good news. He wished that he had some for her, he truly did. It was lucky that she was here at all or he was sure that they wouldn't have known about Athenacia's presence.

"Did you find her?" asked Gin.

"Cor's looking into it," replied Gladiolus.

Gin had tears in her eyes, "You have to find her..." she whimpered.

Gladiolus put a hand on her shoulder, "I won't stop until I do."

The nurse nodded then, hugging him and awkwardly burying her face in his chest - awkward because there was a small house where her womb used to be. Gladio tried to comfort her as best as he could before she finally took a breath and composed herself, wiping her tears as she looked back at him.

"I need you to tell me every detail. You said she looks different," said Gladiolus.

"Yeah, yeah, she's got long black hair now."

'How long?"

"It was braided off to the side so it only hung at her ribs."

Gladiolus frowned. There was no way it had grown that long in this short time.. had it? No, Iris said it was long and black too and that was the day after the city had fallen. Something seemed off about all of this.

"Anything else?"

"She cut herself some crooked bangs so that they were practically hiding her face. That braid hides her scar too, it was like she was trying to be a completely different person..."

"And this is the first time you saw her?"

"Yeah. I had no idea she was in the city. I wouldn't even if I did, only because I saw her face clearly I was able to identify her before they took her."

Gladiolus nodded, "Thanks, Gin."

"If you need anything else..."

"I know."

"Bring her back safe."

"Trust me, I will."

...

Cor had spent the entire night out since Gladiolus's phone call. The Marshal was in Duscae at the time and began to travel toward Leide as soon as he had gotten off the phone. He thought he was tracking Athenacia here in the Duscae region, on his way toward Lestallum. The trail was cold but it seemed that he was on the right track. No one had seen her, she was very careful about her interactions, but someone did mention a scared looking girl with long black hair in an old beat up truck. Cor wasn't entirely sure that was her, but it was the closest lead that he could follow. The only solace he took in this was that if he couldn't find Athenacia, then no one else could - not that he would stop trying either but being unable to turn up anything made it easier for him to sleep at night.

Not tonight, however. Gladiolus had informed him that the Empire came to Lestallum and she was spotted, protecting the people there. The Empire was going to use her as bait in the hopes of having the Prince and his Shield come after her, there was no denying that. Someone would eventually catch on that she wasn't actually Iris and by that time the young girl would be safe in Caem. Then they would try to kill Athenacia and continue their search for the Prince and the others. That was the best case scenario, the alternative mean something much more catastrophic. This just meant that the countdown was on. Cor was going to find her long before they had a chance to think about it and get her to the safe house in Caem. Then he would know where she was and what she was doing, giving him some sort of peace. There was no way to protect her if he was unsure of her whereabouts and finally, that was going to change. Cor knew for sure that he saw that big giant blue dome or else Athenacia wouldn't have gone into hiding.

As he was coming up to the barrier between Duscae and Leide he noted that there were more forces flying above his head. Cor knew where they were headed, toward that base that the hunter, Dave, had told him about. That seemed to be the only logical place to take anyone after Noctis took out the stronghold in Duscae. Frowning, the Marshal sped up on his bike, hoping to make it to Hammerhead before Dave did. He needed all the help he could get scouting the area before he knew for sure that she was in there. Cor approached the garage of Hammerhead just as the sun was beginning to peek its way over the horizon. The morning air was still and quiet as the Marshal scanned the area for any familiar faces. The barking dog led him behind the garage, the animal lying at Dave's feet. The hunter was leaning against the building with his arms crossed, looking up to acknowledge the company while Cor raised a brow at him expectantly.

"Someone is there, not sure if it's her," said Dave.

"What makes you say that?" asked Cor.

"Can't see her face but she's got long hair like you said. Only its dark, not that light colour."

"Who's got her?"

"Caligo and Loqi. Didn't see anyone else official there but they were roughin' her up a bit. Reckon they didn't like anything she was sayin' to 'em."

"She does have an attitude problem," conceded Cor, "You see where they're keeping her?"

Dave shook his head, "Had to leave, the local wildlife was hungry."

Cor grunted, "Thanks," he said once before turning to leave.

"You're going to need some backup, Cor, you can't go in there alone and hope to survive. Immortal or not," said Dave matter of factly.

"I'll keep that in mind," replied the Marshal without looking back.

...

Cor ducked down from more dreadnaughts flying their way overhead. Construction on the fort not too far away was nearly complete, but this small base was the only way they could operate the territory. It seemed that there were more Niffs here than the last time he had come to check in. His eyes darted toward the guards along the perimeter, taking it all in before walking around it while keeping to the shadows. There was no visible weak spot in the daylight so he knew instantly that he was going to have to wait until the cloaking of night. As he came in a full circle he frowned. Dave was right, there were far too many of them to take on by himself. He wasn't even sure which building she was being held in, they all looked the same. The delay was also concerning, Loqi very capable of recognizing Athenacia and raising the stakes. As long as they thought she was Iris then there wasn't much to worry about. Who knew exactly what was going on in there? His eyes darkened as he saw Tummelt coming out of one of the buildings, talking to a man obscured by the sunlight. It seemed to be a short conversation, then Loqi left through the heavily guarded gate in a vehicle. One down, one to go. Cor still couldn't see that other man but he disappeared into the same building.

Shortly after, Caligo came out with two soldiers behind him. They were forcing someone roughly down the path and toward the back exit. The Marshal kept his eyes trained on them and followed at his own distance. It was the woman Dave had described and Cor caught sight of her face. Definitely Athenacia, there was no mistaking it. Her hair was long and black, wavy and being grabbed by the fistful by his enemy. Her face was hard, that same defiant glare in her hazel eyes he came to know on a regular basis while raising her. Cor scowled as he saw Caligo give her a swift backhand, looking like it could break her neck. He didn't hear the contact but he was sure it was ugly. Athenacia instantly turned her head toward him and spit blood in his face. Cor smiled at her actions before she was struck again in the abdomen and forced into the building. Good, now he knew where she was.

The Immortal continued to observe, looking at the defences they implemented around her. The lack of guard meant they didn't see her as much of a threat. Maybe they didn't know who she really was. That suited him just fine, but the path toward her was a little concerning. Cor continued to gather his intel for at least another couple of hours before he was completely satisfied. With one last circle of the perimeter, he was sure he had everything he needed. Carefully, he pulled out of the area a little way, not wanting to attract attention to himself. Once he was in some sort of cover he grabbed his phone from his pocket and unlocked the screen.

Cor stared at the screen for a few moments, frowning. The idea of involving the others made things complicated. This was something he had been trying to avoid for years and yet, now he was here. As much as he hated to admit it, he could use their help and was certain that the Shield would be inquiring about his girlfriend soon. In the end, it was just easier to call him.

"Cor," grunted Gladiolus.

He was obviously not in a great mood.

"I found her," said Cor.

"Where?"

"Meet me Longwythe Outpost, I'll fill you there."

"We're on our way."

Cor hung up the phone before they could speak more, replacing it in the pocket and let out a heavy sigh. If they were in Lestallum even Ignis would take most of the day to get where they needed to be - which was perfect for a night assault. Since there was nothing more to do here, he decided to head back and keep an eye on things. By the time he had to leave he was sure he would have a way in and out with minimal issues, but he was also ready to take out every single last one of them if need be. He was not going to fail Athenacia anymore than he already had.


	30. Venipuncture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much!

Athenacia felt groggy as she opened her tired eyes, groaned slightly and hearing the steady beep of a monitor in her ears. Her vision was hazy as she looked around, noting she was in a room she didn't recognize and staring into a surgical light. Wincing at the brightness of it she turned her head weakly to try and avoid it, hearing the murmur of voices around her. Whatever they were saying, her ears couldn't pick up on it yet, still far too drowsy. The physician went to bring her hand to rub her eyes, only her it wouldn't move. Frowning, she tried again - only to be left with the same results as the first attempt. The monitor started to beep faster as her heart began racing, her mind completely alert. In a panic, she pulled harder on both of her arms, however, they wouldn't budge.

The girl lifted her head to have a look, noting she was strapped to the metal table she was lying on. There was an intravenous in her right arm for the purposes of a venipuncture. Athenacia had absolutely no idea what they wanted with her blood but from the looks of it, they had already taken who knew how many vials. It was why she was so light headed to begin with. Body shaking, she struggled again with her wrists but the bounds just wouldn't come undone. Whatever sedative they had given her was powerful, she was still weak with its lingering effects. The brightness of that surgical light obscured anything else in her vision, but there were no more voices in earshot. She could, however, hear the footsteps of someone on the metal floor approaching her, face hardening as the person came into view. It was that same man from Insomnia, those evil amber eyes boring into her. He wasn't wearing his hat but his features still had amusement contorted with them, holding a vial of blood in his hands between this right thumb and forefinger. It was probably her blood, but he almost had a loving look as he observed it right in front of her face. Athenacia tried to keep herself steady, she didn't want to show this vile man any fear despite her skin crawling at the very thought of him coming anywhere near her.

"Your blood is quite a magnificent thing, wouldn't you say?" he asked, keeping his eye on the red liquid.

"Who are you?" she demanded curtly.

"Today, I am your captor," his smile grew.

"Why? Why do you want my blood? Why am I so important to you?" she asked.

"Oh my dear, that part is of no significance right now. What matters is that you were able to return to us. I had thought you lost forever once you were placed in the care of the Immortal. But here you are, the prodigal daughter has come home to her rightful place," he smiled widely, turning his gaze towards her, "I couldn't be more thrilled at your return, and alive after the first fiasco."

"What do you want from me?"

The man kept his smile in place and looked back at her blood. Gripping it with his entire hand, he then turned to leave without another word. Athenacia growled as she continued to fight with her restraints but nothing happened, she was stuck. Slamming her fists against the cool metal, she cried out in frustration at her own weakness. Her wrists felt raw at her feeble attempts to break herself free, however, she wouldn't quit, even when she heard the door open and someone else began to approach her now. If anything, she was fighting harder for a chance to rip the newcomer to shreds with her bare hands if she must. She refused to be a tool for these monsters.

Caligo came into view, turning off the bright light in front of her face. Athenacia stopped moving only to glare at him while he stood over her, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the rapid change. Suddenly, she felt herself being cut loose - not that it did her any good. As soon as her bounds were gone she was forced up by two soldiers on each side of her, grabbing her arms. Quickly yanking her right arm away, she elbowed the guard on that side and then used her free arm to attack the other. Before she could try anything else Caligo was already there, laying a blow to her right cheek and another to her abdomen. His men recovered quickly and forced her into a nearby chair, binding her tightly once more. Caligo came at her again, holding her face up to look at him before hitting her in the left eye. The doctor felt her periorbital hematoma start to form instantly, the swelling almost burning her skin. Good. The more he hit her, the more likely it was for him to die, him and the rest of these pests. Her enemy pulled out a small dagger, holding it in his right hand before crouching down so that he was at her level, looking intently at her glazed over, hazel eye. The other one couldn't currently open. Caligo took her face with his left hand and again forced her to look at him. The physician was still glaring despite her left eye being puffy, still weak from whatever they had drugged her with.

"Where is the Prince?" asked Caligo in a light voice.

Athenacia didn't speak and she doubted he really expected her to, hence the dagger in his hand. He didn't move it, however, and she kept her hateful gaze trained on the face of her enemy. Let him do his worst.

"Tell me where the Prince is," he demanded of her, his voice a little harder than the first time.

The girl remained silent and he brought his dagger to touch the skin on her left cheek. The cool metal didn't faze her in the slightest, no doubts about the sharpness. Still she kept her glare on him, not faltering in the slightest.

"Where are they?"

Athenacia was certain this was the last time he was going to ask. Fine, she was sick of hearing his stupid voice anyway. She didn't flinch as he pressed the cold steel of his dagger into her skin, breaking the layers and drawing blood. The warm liquid trickled down her cheek and slowly down her neck, yet her eyes didn't flicker once, she was still staring at him in hate. Caligo narrowed his eyes, releasing her face and pulling the dagger away while he stood before her. Athenacia followed his move without an issue, still feeling the sting of the laceration he had just given her.

"Loqi was right, you definitely got guts. Stupid move on your part, however," he spoke.

The older man walked toward the table she was formerly strapped to and grabbed something small, an empty syringe. Athenacia watched him as he came back to where she was sitting. Caligo bent down again, holding her head and then carefully inserted the needle into her right ear. Breath hitched as it pierced her skin but she did not scream, she didn't speak or even make an attempt to move. The officer took the object out and then dropped it to the ground. The sound escaped her and then he punched her as hard as he could in the fresh wound. Athenacia gasped, trying to keep herself from screaming out. More blows were delivered to her, each harder than the last. The copper taste of blood pooled in her mouth, and she spit it at him the first chance she got. That only earned her another smack in the gut and she was sure one of her ribs had fractured. It hurt to breathe and she winced at every intake of air she got, however, she still didn't cry out or show fear. There was no way she was going to give him that satisfaction.

Caligo took the syringe he had placed in her ear and rested it gently between the nail and her skin on her left forefinger. Without warning, he pushed on it and she gritted her teeth to keep from crying as it punctured through the layers of her skin. Her other hand gripped the handle of the chair it was bound too tightly as she continued to brace herself for the pain he continued to deliver to her. This wasn't about getting answers anymore, he had given up on that, now he just wanted to cause her unbearable pain in as many ways as possible. Well, he could keep trying, she wouldn't budge. The enemy removed the needle and Athenacia breathed a small sigh of relief once his back was turned. She had to get out of there. There was nothing but pain coursing through her body and she was finding it harder to keep her tears at bay. Her arm shook a little as she saw her enemy approach her once more. Caligo had a drill in his hands, a cordless one, coming to her and bending down once more to her level. When he looked at her with those same flat eyes she noted that he also seemed to be enjoying himself. Athenacia was going to kill him, that was a promise she made to herself. Somehow he was going to provoke her into his own death.

Smirking, he squeezed the drill so that it spun loudly a couple of times. Caligo took hold of her right ankle and pushed the end of it on her skin on the other side of her boot. Her breath was heavy through her flared nostrils as she continued to glare at him. And then he pushed the button to initiate the drill. It slowly pushed its way through her boot and he held it tighter so that spun to its full speed. When he pushed it, the movement was slow so that it was ripping through her skin in the most agonizing way possible. The scream she released was deafening, no longer able to hold it in. The pain was unbearable and tears fell down her cheeks. The drill had hit her bone and began to tear it to shreds. Her body was shaking violently in her restraints as she tried desperately to get away but she was held in place. The chair lifted off the ground, aside from the ankle he held. Athenacia continued to cry as he drilled further and further into her shin with an intent look on his face. It was unbearable, the agony far too high for any person to still be alive. Vision flashed between red and normal.

"Sir!" someone burst into the door, causing Caligo to immediately cease his actions.

"What is it?!" he asked annoyed at his interruption as his victim continued to whimper.

"We've got a situation, come quick!"

Caligo growled, standing from his post and going toward his troop. The drill was left inside of her shin and the weight of it caused her to cry out again. Tears flowed freely down her face as the pain settled within her body. Athenacia could still see red start to form in her path, her skin beginning to burn as she willed herself to focus and fight off her restraints. It was no use, she was bound too tightly. The ground beneath her quaked, gaining her attention briefly. It was only a small tremor, something causing a commotion outside. There were people screaming in a frenzy as they ran around. Gunfire made her ears cringe, however, she was happy that they seemed to be too distracted to focus on her.

Athenacia looked around the room for something that would help her escape this place. There was nothing around her that she could reach but a shine near the table caught her attention. There was some broken glass from the tremor and a scalpel with other surgical tools. Breathing heavily despite the pain from her fractured rib pushing into her right lung, she twisted her body so that the chair was toppling over. It was difficult to ignore the pain of the drill's movements still stuck in her shin but she had to get out before they came back, she had to make it to the middle of the base so she had a chance of taking them all out. The girl screamed in agony as the chair fell and the drill moved within the first layers of her bone. Fresh tears escaped while she tried to recover from the pulsing pain within her. Her vision was completely red as her skin burned. Athenacia forced herself to even out her breaths, noting the distance between her and the scalpel. Crying out, she shook her body so that it inched toward the surgical tool but only once as the pain burst through her body again. The drill made her every movement that much harder but she had to keep to going or else she wouldn't make it to where she needed to be.

The doctor whimpered each time she inched her way forward, smacking her head on the cool metal floor. More tears fell down her face as she finally let out deeper breaths when she reached the pile of broken glass and tools. Athenacia knew there was glass in her face and her skin but there was nothing she could do about it. Exhaling deeply one last time and twisting herself so that her left hand could grab the scalpel, she released sighs of relief as her fingers came around it. Then, she twisted it around and began to cut her way through the rope. The surgical tool wasn't as sharp as it should be but at least she was getting somewhere - even if it was slow. More explosions shook the ground from outside and she was happy that the men out there were distracted by it. Athenacia finally got through the first layer, able to twist her wrist for a better angle. It was going a lot smoother now.

Once the left wrist was free she grabbing the scalpel tightly again and frantically sawed away at her other bound. When it was nearly finished she ripped it away in disgust. Immediately her hands went to the drill, reversing its course and slowly beginning to remove it from her leg. Athenacia screamed in agony with each passing second until finally, it was gone. Body quivering, she threw it away and put her hands back onto the warm flowing blood that came out of her shin. The doctor was still whimpering but did her best to focus on her leg. It was hard to know if the golden lights had come out, everything was red and she had her eyes closed in pain, but she could feel the relief flow through her fracture, repairing the damage done to her. Hands dropped in defeat as she continued to cry. The bone was healed, she would be able to walk, however, the initial puncture wound would still remain. Good enough for now.

Athenacia was still quivering with her breaths, the rib fracture pushing against her lung. Her skin burned hotter with each passing second that she was on the ground. She had to get out of here. Summoning what little strength she had left, she unbound her ankles from the chair and pushed herself up, getting glass in her hands as she did so. Carefully, she pulled out the intravenous and then vomited at the blood loss she had sustained, holding her arm tightly until she was sure it was clotted enough to continue. Taking a tentative step forward, her trembling legs did not give out on her like she expected. She took another, gauging her strength before finding a pace she could work with, coming to the door and exiting through it. Gunshots were everywhere, her body was weak and frail after the abuse it had taken since she was apprehended by Niflheim forces. Each step forward was more agonizing than the last, but she had to get out of there. Something was going on or they wouldn't be running around attacking everything they could find. Athenacia cried out with each bullet that passed through her, tears streaming down her cheeks. There was no more strength to heal herself, not after fixing her leg, she could only continue to move toward the centre of the base. MagiTek troopers blew past her to all areas and the ones that saw her tried to attack. It didn't matter how many came near her, once they made contact with her blazing skin they recoiled in pain. The troopers were mostly unfazed by the pain, however, they did malfunction. For once she was happy about her ordeal since there was no other way to defend herself. Athenacia had no idea where Caligo went but she desperately hoped that he was somewhere close, that he would find her again so she could enact her revenge.

Her skin continued to burn as her vision saw everything in a red haze. The pressure was building within her and everything grew hotter and hotter. The steps taken were slow and small, letting nothing stand in her way. Athenacia felt no more pain, the bullets and blades only causing her assailants pain and she drew in shaking breaths. Skin felt aflame, she was almost there. That pressure was only getting worse and she hoped that she found whatever strength she could to contain it until she reached her mark. The troopers were no longer focusing on her, some sort of commotion behind her but she kept going. An azure glow began to surround her being as her skin grew hotter still, barely able to keep herself conscious as her body wished to give up. Athenacia finally found her destination, hugging herself as the strain continued to compile itself inside of her body. Containing it grew troublesome, however, she wasn't ready yet. Knees wished to buckle beneath all the tension but the raging wind was tearing away at her, formed only in her aura and everything else still.

"Cia!"

The doctor heard her name from a long distance behind her, yet she couldn't move, she had nothing else left in her. The voice was familiar, knowing it was someone friendly. Athenacia cried as she tried to keep that azure glow contained to her own body. Her skin only grew hotter and she finally fell to her knees as she hugged herself. It couldn't go off now. What was he doing here anyway?

"Cia," she saw Cor come and kneel down towards her.

Athenacia could see him in a red hue, the genuine concern for her written all over his face. Her left eye was still swollen from the hematoma but her right eye saw everything. The look on his face made her feel bad. He shouldn't have come, now she would have to wait until he was far away from her and she wasn't sure that was possible. Never did she wish to hurt anyone she cared for. Cor reached out toward her with his free hand.

"Don't touch me!" she seethed between clenched teeth, flinching away from him.

"Let's go! Gladio and the others are clearing a path!"

Did he really bring Gladiolus and the others? What was he thinking? He knew the monster she was, why would he risk them coming all the way in here? Athenacia growled, tearing her gaze away from his and feeling more tears stream down her cheeks. The pressure was only rising within her and she was having trouble containing it as it was. Another small whimper escaped her. She had to hold it, she had to, now more than ever she needed some sort of control over this terrible thing within her.

"No!" she looked up at him in fear, "You have to get them out of here! All of you! Now!"

"I can knock you out!"

"It's far too late for that! Get out now! I can't hold it much longer!"

Cor only met her eyes for a moment before he scowled and left her side. Athenacia only wailed as he left, hoping that he could get everyone far enough away. Pain seared through her body as she did her best stop it, however, she couldn't hold it anymore. Her skin burned and that azure glow began to expand. The girl had no idea how long it had been but she hoped it was enough, hating every second she was to endure it. And then she screamed, vocal cords vibrating as her throat became hoarse. Athenacia screamed so loud and the azure glow about her body began its slow expansion outward. It was too much, she couldn't take it but her voice didn't falter until the entirety of the base was incinerated by that electric blue light. Then she stopped, crying silently to herself at what she had done. While she had meant for this to happen, it was without people who had come in to get her. That wasn't supposed to happen, now she wasn't sure if any of them survived and it only made her feel more pain than before. Tears were still falling freely down her cheeks as her body shook with her own sobs. There was no way she could live with herself if any of them were hurt on her account

...

Cor fought troopers as quickly as he could on his way back toward where he left Noctis and the others. The Marshal was taking out anything that barred his path, knowing what would happen if they didn't get away in time. Cor had never seen her that far advanced in it while she was coherent. Hell, he had only really seen it to its full potential once and he was nowhere near her during that time. Keeping a scowl on his face he finally made it toward everyone else. They had made a clear path, almost ready to move forward and chase after him. Needless to say, they were a little shocked to find him and alone for that matter.

"We gotta get out of here!" he barked at them, more troopers making an appearance.

"What about Cia?" asked Gladiolus instantly, fighting off two troopers.

"She already escaped! This place is gonna blow, let's move! Now!"

They didn't need to be told twice - though the Shield didn't like what he was hearing and began to hack his way toward their exit. Noctis warped ahead while Ignis went to assist him. Prompto's guns were echoing with his every shot and they kept pushing their way towards safety, narrowly making it out before they were able to cover some decent ground. Getting out seemed a lot harder than actually getting in, always seeming to work that way. They were far enough away that Cor was sure they were clear, and not a moment too soon as everyone looked over at the azure dome of light that began to engulf the base. It completely devoured everything it touched, reducing it to ashes along its path. There was what looked like static electricity within it and Cor could feel its wind as it expanded well beyond the base. The Marshal was sure he heard her faint scream expand with it. Then, it disappeared as if it was never really there in the first place. Cia... He had to go and get her before their enemy reclaimed her, but he had to lose the rest of them first.

"What was that?!" asked Prompto, his eyes wide in horror.

"Some sort new technology they might have been working on," mused Ignis.

"Glad we weren't caught up in it," said Noctis.

"If they have weapons like that, no one stands a chance," grumbled Gladiolus.

They were silent as they observed. The night air hung with tension and the radius around the incinerated base glowed with embers. Cor remembered it the first time so vividly, right up until the last. It was a lot stronger than the first and he had no idea how hard it was on her body. The Immortal tried to look for any signs of her but they were too far away and it was too dark to see anything. He could only take solace in knowing that anything it touched was no longer a threat.

"It's like, there was never anything there..." trailed Prompto.

"Cia made it out?" Gladiolus looked at Cor.

The Marshal nodded, "She was gone, probably at the same time we came in. I'm going to go find her while the trail is fresh."

"I'll go with you."

"No," he said at once, turning to face them, "Find a haven and I'll meet you there. I move faster on my own," replied Cor, walking away before anyone else could argue the matter.

There was little time to waste before someone else would act and get to her before he did.


	31. Self Diagnosis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and all the kind words. You're all awesome!

Athenacia whimpered as she struggled to keep herself awake, the ground beneath her glowing with the embers of the devastation she had just caused. Her body was spent, she was having trouble staying on her knees. Only the sound of her cries filled the air and she could hardly hear it after the damage done to her right ear. There was nothing she could do to heal herself and she was happy about that; she could succumb the darkness and feel nothing ever again, she could rest in the peace of knowing she had done some real damage to their enemies. A pair of feet came into her line of vision, ones she didn't recognize and internally she cursed herself for not killing everything in her path. This person just stood, making no other moves that she could see. Athenacia couldn't summon any strength to lift her head and see who was there, she didn't have to, her visitor grabbing her by the front of her shirt before lifting her effortlessly to her feet. Once again she fell into the arms of a man that made her skin crawl, his face thoughtful and bright as he regarded her with evil amber eyes. The girl tried desperately to raise her hands, to push away from him but she couldn't move. Her enemy caressed her cheek as he smiled down at her.

"You grow stronger every time you use it," he purred at her.

Tears escaped her eyes and he wiped them away, "You should be dead," she croaked weakly.

"You narrowly missed me. But do not fret, we will meet again. Until next time, my dear."

He lowered her gently to the ground. It felt warm against her skin, the embers still shining brightly. With one nod, that same smile stayed plastered on his face before turning and walking away. Her vision was blurring and she weakly moved her head to look around her. He was wrong, she wasn't going to survive here any longer. Athenacia closed her eyes, welcoming death to her. She never wanted to see him again. Her head was tilted toward the right as her sobs finally subsided. Finally, she was ready but it appeared no one else was. The doctor opened her eyes slowly as she heard the echo of her name off in the distance. This had to be a dream.

Footsteps scrambled toward her but she couldn't move, no strength left in her whatsoever until she felt the instant effects of an elixer take its toll on her body. Athenacia drew in a weak breath, her eyelids no longer as heavy as they used to be. An arm came around her shoulders, lifting her slightly into the air and she rolled her head to look at who was here now, who had interrupted her in her time of dying. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes as yet another elixer was being administered to her. The strength in her body was returning but she could feel no physical pain. Cor's face was completely unreadable as he looked down at her. Once she recognized him, she felt relief sweep through her. This man had come for her again despite knowing what she had done. He had survived, made it out in time, she didn't hurt him. Her eyes scanned for anyone else that might be around but she only saw him. The Marshal was knelt down on one knee as he supported her head with his right arm, giving her one last elixer and she finally was able to find her words.

"Cor..." she was broken, her voice breathless.

The older man only frowned, pulling her against his chest and putting his other hand on her head to hold her tightly. Athenacia felt tears leave her eyes as her body began to shake with more whimpers. On instinct, she brought her right arm up, small hand finding its way to his shoulder and she weakly clung to him. They didn't move while she cried, one cheek on the top of her head in an almost soothing manner. The girl couldn't stop the tears from pouring out of her and she wondered how she had so many, but he was patient and he waited. Cor had seen this before, he knew how it worked. As Athenacia sniffled a few times, her sobs finally subsiding for good tonight.

"You should've just let me die," she whispered to him.

"I can't do that," he replied gently.

Cor pulled her away and got a better look at her, resisting the urge to cringe. She was a mess: her left eye swollen, completely black and blue. There was a cut on her cheek, blood dripping down from her face and her right ear. It fell down her neck and soaked into her shirt. Her bottom lip was split and swollen on more so the right side of the centre. Multiple cuts, scrapes and bruises littered her upper body, and that was just what he cold see. His blood was boiling at the sight of her but there wasn't much he could do about it at this particular moment.

"I don't want to hurt anyone anymore," she croaked.

"Not going to happen," he assured her.

She let out a pained sigh, "Please, just let me die."

"No," he said more firmly.

Athenacia brought her hand to wipe her tears, tearing her gaze away from him. Cor could only look at her sadly as the effect of the elixers were beginning to take their toll completely. Movements were a lot smoother, however, she wasn't wincing in any pain as she did so. The body was in shock, completely numb after the trauma it endured. If he learned anything from her, it was that she needed medical attention stat.

"Let's get out of here," said Cor.

The Marshal stood, bringing her up with him - gently, not wishing to hurt her any more than she already was. Athenacia planted her feet on the ground, however, he kept his hold on her, noting that her hazel eyes were mostly glazed over. That confirmed it, her body had gone into shock now that she was conscious, aware of what had happened and what was currently going on. Carefully he let go of her, hovering just in case she faltered in the slightest.

"Can you walk?" asked Cor.

Athenacia nodded, taking that first step without issue. There was blood dripping from her right leg near the shin and immediately he grabbed onto her left arm. The Immortal supported her steps as they gingerly began their trek away from the former base and toward the nearest haven.

...

Gladiolus was pacing around the haven where they were waiting. Cor had left what felt like hours ago to go and find Athenacia after she had managed to escape from the grasp of the Empire. There was no way she would have known they were coming for her, couldn't have. Gladio just hoped that the Marshal could find her before she ran off again and disappeared, unable to chase her down if she was gone. The Shield didn't want to keep going not knowing that she was safe, certain that if she did manage to escape her enemies would try to hunt her down.

Everyone had busied themselves while they waited. The tent was set up, a fire was going and Ignis was cooking their meal, making enough for the two extra mouths that they would be feeding. Prompto was helping him out while Noctis just stared at his phone, unsure of himself. No one said a word, not even when Gladiolus left and started to circle around the perimeter, going further out as he did so. Sitting around and waiting was never one of his strong suits. Absently he was hoping to encounter enemies to try and blow off some steam, but he wasn't that lucky.

Gladio wasn't too far away from the haven that he couldn't hear anything around him, however, he wasn't all that close to it either. There wasn't enough space to continue his mindless journey in circles so he had no choice but to expand it, keeping his ears out for any noise, any sort of rustling that might indicate Cor and Athenacia. So far the night was quiet - aside from the crackling of their fire, a disturbing silence that irked him while waiting for something. Gladiolus knew he should have gone with the Marshal, or even taken his own path to try and look for a sign of her whereabouts. At least then he wouldn't be stuck waiting. Suddenly, he heard a twig crack at the same time the fire pulsed, his attention snapping to the direction it came from and hoping that he wasn't just hearing things. Another rustling much closer to him now and he was completely on guard as his amber eyes were focused. Something was coming and he narrowed his gaze at two shadows slowly making their way toward him. In the faint light of the fire, he could see that it was people and he could easily make out the Marshal. His heart nearly stopped when he could finally see Athenacia being supported by him at his side.

"Doc!" he called out to her, running towards them and closing the gap quickly.

The Shield frowned when he was able to see her clearly. The girl was covered in her own blood from head to toe it looked like, her face swollen with the abuse it had taken and he could see that her body wished to tremble with the weight she was putting on it. Cor was supporting most of it and Gladiolus could see why. They were moving at her own pace and he fell in step with them as they approached the haven. Athenacia weakly brought her head up to look at him, her right hazel eye glazed over and unfocused, left eye completely closed and swollen.

"Cia..."

It pained him to see her like this, to see someone who tried to do nothing but help people suffer the way she was. Had she never spoken up in Lestallum then this could have been Iris, or someone else. More people would have died, and he was disgusted that this was the reward she received for doing the right thing. After she had tried to leave the war it came right up, hot on her heels and pulled her back in.

"Gladio..."

The sound of her feeble voice in his ears only made him feel worse. It didn't even sound like she was really there and he was afraid to touch her, to even graze her body with the way she looked. Her hair wasn't black like Iris had said, nor were there bangs as Gin had described. It was long, very long, reaching her waist and that same dirty blond he recalled underneath her highlights, covered in dirt and blood from top to bottom it seemed. But it was still her, that same face even though it was beaten up. Gladiolus quickly looked at Cor but the Marshal was intent on getting her to the haven so she could rest.

"Dr. Virum," said Ignis with some relief.

As the three of them came up to the campsite, Cor carefully placed her in one of the empty chairs that were set up around the fire. Noctis had a frown on his face while he observed her seated next to him. Prompto looked like he was ready to sprout tears from his eyes and tried not to panic too much at what he was seeing. Ignis, who had finished preparing their meal, was quick to approach her with all the medical supplies in their arsenal. Cor took his seat in another chair, the only spare one, and kept his gaze on her. Gladiolus was still hovering over her, his face contorted with a mixture of worry and rage as he could see her far better now in the light of the fire.

"Perhaps you should set up the extra tent," suggested Ignis gently.

"I'm good," replied Gladio, who was reluctant to leave her side.

"I  _insist_ ," said Ignis curtly.

The Shield met his friend's eye briefly before turning his gaze away and leaving. It wasn't worth the fight, that much he knew.

"L-let me help you," offered Prompto quickly.

Ignis took out the light on his chest so that he could have a better look at her. Athenacia was sitting in the chair, slumped over with her hands in her lap. Her face was on the fire in front of her while her good eye was still glazed over. It was clear that her body was in shock, he wasn't even sure she knew where she was. The doctor was completely soaked in her own blood and he would have to clean that up before he even had a chance of looking at her wounds. Her shirt would have to be thrown out, there was no salvaging it.

"Noct, the lady will need something to cover herself. Do see if you can find a spare shirt?" asked Ignis without even looking at the Prince.

"Uh... yeah, right," replied Noctis, getting up from his seat instantly.

That took care of all the prying eyes - except for the Marshal but Ignis didn't dare try and tell the man to go away. No, the Adviser was quite certain that Cor would be there until she was treated and resting. Since there was no avoiding it, he got to work, carefully wiping the blood from her arms with a soft cloth and lukewarm water. Athenacia didn't react to his movement, didn't even flinch when he came to her left hand and saw a puncture underneath the nail of her forefinger. Ignis gently cleaned her neck, and she allowed him to move her every which way he needed to get better access. All that was left was her face. The cloth was used to lift her chin and look at him while he began to wipe it down. The water he was using turned completely bloody, as was the cloth, but finally, he could see the damage that was done to her. Noctis had returned wordlessly with one of his black shirts and handed it to his friend. Ignis took it from him and then gave him a look that suggested he be busy elsewhere. The Prince picked up on it instantly and left to go help Gladiolus and Prompto. The Adviser looked back at the wounded doctor and then again at the clean shirt in his hand. This was going to be a bit complicated.

"Dr. Virum, can you hear me?" asked Ignis.

She nodded once.

"Your current ensemble is blocking my examination. I'm going to have to remove your shirt."

"Just cut it," she replied in that monotone voice, continuing to stare into the fire despite him blocking her vision.

The man sighed slightly, going to grab his scissors. He began with the straps and then started from the top and worked his way down. Once the fabric had severed, he carefully removed it and threw it down beside her. It seemed he wasn't finished cleaning up her blood, grabbing his cloth, wishing he had fresh water and began with her back since she stayed hunched over. Ignis then moved to her abdomen, pushing gently with the bruising he saw along it. Finally, there was her chest left. He hesitated as he wrung out the cloth and she grabbed it from him, averting his eyes as she cleaned herself quickly before throwing the rag back into the bloody water. Her bra was also soaked in blood but that would have to wait until she could put on a shirt. Ignis had a better look at what he was dealing with. There was a large cut on the back of her right shoulder blade that would need stitching, and as he travelled his eyes further down he could see that there was a hole in her boot. This was all very troubling and he would have to wait in order to get to that, wishing to give the girl back some of her modesty.

"You have a black eye," informed Ignis gently.

"Periorbital hematoma," she corrected in that emotionless voice, "25 year-old female. Periorbital hematoma. Fracture to either the fifth or sixth thoracic vertebrae. Puncture to the right tympanic membrane. Drill puncture in the right leg, possible bruising of the tibia or fibula. Severe blood loss and dehydration, multiple contusions and lacerations. No signs of concussion or hemorrhaging. Acute stress reaction resulting in minor paresthesia."

Ignis listened to everything she said intently. That narrowed down a lot and he would know what to look for when he finally took a look at her leg. While he didn't understand all of what she was saying, he was at least certain that she would guide him if need be.

"You're going to need stitches for the cut on your shoulder blade," he said in that same voice.

"Scapula."

He nodded, "Your brain seems to be functioning just fine. I believe you are correct in assuming we needn't worry about concussions or hemorrhaging. I trust your self-diagnosis."

"The sutures don't go-"

"Forgive me, but I've had ample opportunity to study your technique," he stopped her.

Athenacia only nodded once and he handed her the shirt in an attempt to cover herself up. The girl only kept it in her lap with her hands as she stayed in that slumped form. Frowning, he chose to say nothing as he took his kit and walked toward the back of the chair. Holding up the light and scrutinizing the wound, he began to clean it gently, moving the strap of her bra as needed. Ignis was very professional about it, quickly ready to sew it up.

"I'm afraid I do not have anything to ease the pain," he spoke softly.

"I can't feel anything," replied Athenacia, her tone of voice still unchanged, "Acute stress reaction resulting in minor paresthesia," she repeated.

Ignis frowned but didn't doubt her. The doctor hadn't reacted to anything he had done, even when he accidentally grazed some very obvious bruises. After he methodically began to stitch up her skin, pulling the needle and thread carefully between the wound. Athenacia didn't move, like she wasn't really there to begin with, however, the earlier analysis of her own body suggested that she knew exactly what happened and what was going on. The man was impressed with her will and knew that Cor would have given her some sort of curative to get her this far. Ignis finished his stitching as quickly as he could, mirroring her technique perfectly before tying it off and putting his tools back. Then he covered it with gauze and taped it up, carefully putting the strap of her bra over it.

It was then she moved to put the clothing on that Noctis had offered. It was just a simple black t-shirt but it was huge on her tiny frame. Ignis again noted that she didn't flinch in the slightest at her own movements despite having fresh stitches. Still frowning, he walked back to face her and she simply pointed at the deep knife cut on her left cheek. That one would need stitching as well and he was a little ashamed he hadn't caught that. Pulling out the tools, he began. It wasn't as big as the other one so it didn't take him nearly as long. Athenacia didn't look at him, kept her eye trained on the fire while the other was unable to open. Once he was finished, he again placed his tools back but didn't have them too far, there was still the drill hole she spoke of. The physician began to move her fingers slowly toward the tops of her knees and unlace the strings of her boots. It became obvious she was having trouble with the knots she had put in there, her eye still on the fire before her.

"Allow me," said Ignis politely.

He gently pushed her hands out of the way and began to undo the laces. Once finished with her right foot, he pulled down the zipper and carefully slid the boot down the length of her leg, revealing her foot. Carefully he cleaned up the dried blood on her shin, seeing the wound she spoke of. Athenacia had said it was a drill hole, meaning that her captor had literally drilled a hole into her leg. The skin around it was heavily bruised and that it appeared to be pried apart, almost like the tool was moving around while it was being inserted into her bone. Ignis pondered that as he cleaned it up and placed a bandage gently on it. As satisfied as he could be with what he had, he helped her with her other boot and the rose from his position, replacing everything he had used, making sure it was thoroughly cleaned and organized before putting it away. Athenacia only kept her gaze on the fire, her arms hugging herself as she was slumped forward. Cor's eyes were still intent on her, waiting to see when she would come out of her shock. Gladiolus, Prompto and Noctis seemed to be finished with their work as well, coming back to join them.

The Shield walked over toward his friend once Noctis and Prompto had gotten their food. Ignis had given an extra plate to Noctis, nodding toward the Marshal before grabbing his own. Gladio waited until the others were out of earshot before turning his attention to the younger man. Ignis didn't meet his gaze, simply gathered food on two different plates. One of them didn't have very much and Gladiolus could only assume that was for Athenacia.

"Well?" he asked expectantly.

"I'm not a doctor, but her wounds look to be external. Her mind appears competent enough to understand what has happened and the results. I'm under the impression that she'll make a full recovery, physically anyhow. The trauma she suffered I believe will heal, with time," replied Ignis.

The Shield looked over at the woman with concern. Athenacia was still sitting in that same position, not moving in the slightest. No one was speaking as they ate and Gladiolus fought with himself to figure out what he was supposed to do. The girl had barely acknowledged him and he understood why, keeping that thoughtful frown on his face as he gazed at her.

"Tread with caution," advised Ignis, handing him two plates of food.

Gladiolus snapped out of his thoughts, taking his dinner from his friend's hands and carefully walking over toward the doctor, offering her a plate. Athenacia grabbed it, feeling heavy in her hands as she placed it on her lap, not moving her gaze from the fire. The Shield sat on the ground next to her since there were no more chairs left. As he picked at his food he kept stealing glances at her, hoping for some sort of reaction. When she finally took a bite of food it relieved him, however, barely as she only lazily chewed it before it seemed to fall from her mouth and back onto her plate. Gladiolus met the gaze of the Immortal briefly before turning his attention back to her. Athenacia was still looking at the fire, her face unchanged about the world around her. The meal remained on her lap and she made no more attempts to bother trying to eat it. Gladio wished that he could do more for her, reaching his hand toward her lap and gingerly touching her arm. She didn't react, not at first anyway. The large man didn't falter as he saw her good eye blink and then look down at her legs. It was then she moved her head slightly to meet his gaze. That left eye made his heart sink, however, he didn't dwell on it as she moved her arm, keeping their connection and allowing him to take her small hand within his own, holding it firmly.


	32. Campylobacteriosis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for all the kind words and the kudos! It really brightens up my day!

In the middle of a field she awoke, embers on the ground and dried tears on her cheeks. There was no sound, no one left alive, no one to search for her; because she killed them all with one sweep, that bright azure glow incinerating everything it touched without mercy. The sinister laugh of a man sounded in her ears after she had found out she was a monster, growing louder with each passing second and she tightly held her head to block it out. It plagued the inside of her head as she dropped to her knees, screaming for it to stop but her voice was drowned out. There was nothing she could do to stop it despite her desperate attempts to block it out.

She woke up strapped to a metal table, the laugh still loud in her ears but she couldn't cover them to stop the sound, only watch in horror as the evil man taunted her with vials of her own blood. As he drilled that hole into her shin the screams of protest from her own mouth went ignored. Not that she could hear it, his laughter was the only thing making noise. He drilled further and further in until her bones were severed completely and she began to bleed out. The laughter didn't falter in the slightest, only grew louder if that was possible. He didn't stop, he wouldn't.

She woke up being held by her hair to face Insomnia. There in the middle of the Citadel, inside the building, everyone waited expectantly for her. Faces she knew surrounded her: the King, the Prince and his guard, Cor was there and Grun to. The man held her there but no one could see him, throwing the vial of blood down at her feet and she screamed louder. Instantly she was ablaze with that azure glow and without warning, it spread like a disease toward everyone in the room. She protested fiercely but to no avail as her own curse expanded to engulf the entirety of the city, rendering it to ashes before her very eyes

Athenacia shook awake for real this time, gasping for air and trying to figure out where she was now. Heavy breaths ceased to calm as only one of her eyes was able to see the folds of a tent all around her. Once she was able to compose herself she realized that she was on the ground with no one, sun shining brightly on the outside. Her left eye wouldn't open no matter how hard she tried, wincing as she made contact and noted it was swollen. It all came back to her then. She volunteered herself as Iris Amicitia to save the people of Lestallum from the torment of the Empire, of Caligo. Her body shook with rage as she recalled everything he had done to her when she was in his custody. Small sharp breaths reminded her of the rib fracture putting pressure on her lungs, making it difficult to intake air. It was then she felt unbearable pain all over her body. Athenacia started to scream in agony as every piece of her felt all the abuse it had taken when she was last conscious. Holding her head, she put herself in the fetal position and began shaking with pain. The biggest of it was coming from her right ear and she remembered that the eardrum was punctured. Swiftly she relieved the pressure but then stopped once it was finished. People in there, two to be exact, as they observed her broken form and she hoped they hadn't seen what she just did.

"What's happening?" she heard Gladiolus demand in anger.

"The shock has worn off, she can feel pain again," replied Ignis calmly.

"Do something!"

The doctor was still screaming, wishing they hadn't come bursting in so she could have used her power to fix this quickly and be done with it, however, she couldn't use her magic in front of them. It didn't matter, she could feel the effects of a hi-elixer begin to take effect. Her screaming stopped but she was still crying with the pain coursing through her whole body. It wasn't exactly numb but it was enough for her to think beyond what she was feeling. Those shallow breaths started to draw out longer, rib fractures numbing and body relaxing. Athenacia finally took a look at the two men before her, both hovering with worry and one knelt down.

"Apologies, I had thought you would rest a little longer," said Ignis who was knelt down at her side.

As the words reached her in that soft voice, she began to register that she was no longer in danger. Cor had come for her and brought her here to safety, there was nothing to worry about.

"It's okay," replied Athenacia, her voice hoarse after her screaming.

"How ya feeling now, Doc?" asked Gladiolus.

Her eye went to him and she was struck by his image. It was the first time she had seen him since the fall of Insomnia, the last moment was in the park near her former apartment inside the Crown City. It didn't end well between them, however, they had attempted to bridge back communication. It didn't exactly go as planned and now she was here with him after running away for so long. He and his friends had come storming a base to save her and the separation had been so long she had absolutely not a clue where they stood with each other, how she should react to them. For now, she would just focus on her recovery so she could get back to not leading an Imperial army towards them.

"Better," she replied weakly.

"Would you care for something to eat?" asked Ignis.

She shook her head, "Not really."

Athenacia sat up carefully after that, wincing at the minor pain she could feel. There was stitching on her right scapula and she favoured that at a little. Instantly she observed the bandage over her right shin, where the drill hole was. The girl frowned at it as the images of what happened flashed through her mind, her grip on the blanket covering her tightened to the point that her knuckles were white, nostrils flaring in anger.

"At least try?" inquired Ignis.

The physician glanced at him briefly before looking down with her good eye, nodding slightly as he offered her his hand, happy for the distraction. Gladiolus went toward the other side and they gently helped her to her feet and out of the tent. Squinting, the sunlight burned her eye for moments before she was able to adjust. Once she had, she took a quick look around her, vaguely remembering this layout from the night previous. There was a tent beside her, next the one she was just in. The Prince was seated on his phone with a half-eaten plate of food in his lap. Prompto was also on his phone beside his friend, only his meal entirely gone. The two of them seemed to be playing a game together on their phones.

Ignis had left her side, probably to bring her some breakfast. Athenacia was taking careful steps with Gladiolus hovering near her, feeling pain in her shin but she didn't limp at all. He offered her his chair, once again opting to sit on the ground beside her as Ignis politely handed her a plate and she smiled slightly when she took it from him. The girl really didn't have any sort of appetite but she knew she had to have some sort of sustenance. Taking a few small bites only made her nauseous and she eventually abandoned the idea of eating. It seemed that the others were afraid to speak while she was around, noting that they gave her quick glances before looking away. There was only one person missing: Cor.

"So I have a question," said Prompto tentatively.

All eyes were on him and he tried not to stare at the swollen black eye she carried. The doctor regarded him curiously, starting to feel anxious about what could possibly come out of his mouth.

"Why do you doctors always have us say 'Ah' when you look in our mouths?"

Athenacia released a breath, giving him a thankful smile for doing his best to break the wall of tension that formed around them all with her condition. This attempt at normalcy is what she preferred, unwilling to be treated like a delicate flower or bear their sorrowful stares at what she could only imagine she looked like.

"When you open your mouth there's no way for us to see the oro-pharynx-" she began.

"Oro what?" he frowned confused.

"Oro-pharynx, the throat wall. When you say 'Ah' the soft palate and the uvula lift up so we can see it."

"Huh. I just thought they liked my voice."

Her smile grew, "I'm sure there's that too. You can see for yourself in a mirror if you like."

"Then we'd never get anywhere," quipped Noctis dryly.

"Says the guy always fussing with his hair," interjected Gladiolus.

"Indeed. Perhaps less sleep would cease imperfection," agreed Ignis.

The physician kept a smile on her face the entire time she observed their teasing of each other. The mood was much lighter now and she was happy about that. Her food was still forgotten though Ignis didn't say anything about it. Hopefully he understood her position, but eventually the mood turned back to a solemn one as the question hung before them, resting on all of their shoulders. What did they do now? The girl knew that Gladiolus wouldn't let her out of his sight just yet and she was reluctant to leave him at the moment anyway, however, her thoughts were cut short as she heard someone else approach.

"Your screams still shatter glass," said a voice with mild amusement.

Athenacia turned to look at Cor Leonis who had returned from who knew where. As her eye caught his she could see that he looked relieved at the sight of her. The others were watching them as she rose from her seat slowly, holding her tears in as best she could, but one fell from her left eye as it was already heavily damaged. Shallow breaths escaped her as she walked over to him, pace slow with her injury. As soon as she reached him, he pulled her into a tight hug, good eye pressed into his chest as a few tears left her face and soaked into his shirt.

Gladiolus observed them from his seat on the ground. While he had never seen them interact, he could tell that they were close in some way just by how the Marshal had searched relentlessly for her. Nothing about it looked romantic to him at all but rather like a man who was worried about his child - something his own fathers face held plenty of times in regard to Iris. The moment he was witnessing was a rarity, and he averted his gaze in order to let them have it. This was probably where they would part ways, Cor wouldn't let her out of his sight again and she would be safer with him anyway.

As Athenacia pulled away, the Marshal kept his hands on her shoulders while observing her closely, keeping his face as neutral as possible. Nodding at her once at her, they turned away from the others who were trying desperately to pretend that they weren't gawking at them. Cor helped her with her steps on the downward slope and continued to hover close in case her leg gave out. Once they were a decent enough distance from the haven he made sure there was nothing else that could pose any threat toward them.

"Where's your phone?" he asked instantly.

"Smashed," she replied.

"What happened?"

Athenacia looked down at her feet, sighing heavily. There was no helping it, no running away from this now. Her fists tightened at her side as the horrors plagued her mind, tearing her gaze away from him.

"It happened in the city," she began, "Just like before..."

"How did you get out?"

"There was this man... I.." she shook her head, looking up at him, "I don't know him but he works for the Empire. He knew who I was. He dropped me not far from Hammerhead. My phone was smashed so I couldn't get to you or anyone else. But he was on the hunt for me, seeing where I would 'end up'."

"You were doing pretty good."

She nodded, "If I wasn't in Lestallum..."

He put a hand on her shoulder, "Then lots of people would have died, including Iris."

"I know that Cor, but that man was there. He harvested my blood and was there after I... Last night after..." she couldn't bear to say it, bottom lip quivering and looking down.

Cor had a scowl on his face at what he was hearing, doing his best to control his tone, "What did he say?"

"That we would meet again. He's still hunting me."

He growled at that and formed a fist at his side. Her eyes were still on her feet and a few tears squeezed out of them.

"I don't know what they want with me," she nearly whispered, "Unless-"

"Doesn't matter, they won't get another opportunity," said Cor darkly.

The older man gently reached for her wrist to signal that they were finished. When they returned he helped her up the slope once more, careful not to hit one of her open wounds. As they approached the site, the four men were tearing it down and getting ready to leave. The last things to be packed up were the chairs and the young doctor just kind of stood by without knowing what she should be doing at Cor's side. Catching sight of her boots, she carefully put them on but only tucked the laces inside. Cor steadied her as she did so and the four men came to stand in front of their extra guests. Athenacia was curious now as to what would happen. Gladiolus kept his amber eyes on her and she returned his gaze with a sad smile. This was it, where they would part ways and go about their own business. Then she would find an appropriate time to get away from Cor and go back into hiding away from her enemies - because that's the way it had to be.

"Take her with you to Caem," instructed Cor.

The girl looked at him in alarm. She had just told him that there was a target on her back and he was really sending her away with the Prince? What was he thinking?

"No problem," said Noctis, nodding at him.

"But-"

"And you," Cor turned to look at her pointedly, cutting her off, "No more wandering around on your own. That's an order."

Athenacia opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out. Instead, she frowned at him, speechless at what was happening right now. His eyes were intent on her and it only forced to nod and comply with his wishes.

The Immortal turned his attention back to the four men standing before him, "I'll keep them off your tails. Regroup with you back in Caem."

"Of course," said Ignis.

Cor nodded, "Get going."

He turned to leave after that, a man of few words after all. Athenacia watched him a few moments before regaining herself as much as she could and turned back toward the Prince, biting her lip a little nervously.

"Finally, someone else to talk to," said Prompto with relief, smiling and leaving the area

"What, we're not good enough for you?" asked Noctis, following his friend.

Ignis wordlessly vacated as well, which only left her with Gladiolus who had his arms crossed as he looked at her. Athenacia met his gaze with her one good eye and then looked away again nervously. This was not what she wanted at all. Eventually, she just offered him a small smile, making herself as little as possible when she walked beside him toward the edge of the haven. Gladio helped her down the slope while Ignis politely waited for any sort of assistance. Then, she followed the two men toward the black car that was parked on the side of the road waiting for them. The girl had seen this car before, had been in it once while Cor drove it she was certain, knowing it to be the Regalia and that it belonged to the King. The sudden realization that the Prince and the others here had also lost their homes and their families struck her almost like a blow. She couldn't imagine what the young Prince was going through after all of it, nor what they knew about it. Athenacia had no idea what they would say if they chose to question her about it, how they would react to her uncovering a mole within their own guard system.

It could wait, however. Ignis took the driver's seat with Noctis behind him. Prompto hopped into the front passenger seat and Gladiolus waited until she carefully got in and shoved herself over toward the middle before being sandwiched carefully in between the Prince and his shield. The doctor tried to keep to herself but there wasn't as much space back there for her to do so. Ignis ignited the engine and carefully took off. Once they had reached higher speeds, the wind was starting to agitate her swollen left eye and she winced as she brought her head low in order to try and avoid it.

"Iggy, put the top up," said Gladiolus, taking his eyes away from a book he had pulled out.

Ignis looked in the rearview mirror and instantly noticed the issue, "Apologies," he said softly.

Once the top was up she breathed a small sigh of relief, keeping her eye focused on her hands that were folded in her lap. Athenacia had no idea what Caem was or how long it would take to get there, however, already the Prince was dozing off and Prompto was on his phone. Ignis had his eyes trained on the road intently while Gladiolus read his book. Actually, a better look at it told her that it was, in fact, one of her own books. The doctor had forgotten that she had loaned most of her books to Ignis, tilting her head slightly and knew which one it was. He was reading about positive and negative effects of bacteria and she remembered every one of those pages vividly.

"You're reading my books?" she inquired softly.

"Yeah, a couple," he replied.

Prompto scoffed, "More like all of them six times."

"Oh?" she smirked.

"Yeah, dude's been pining about you since we left the city. Starting to get a little sad actually."

"Prompto!" warned Gladiolus sternly, giving a stiff kick to the back of the seat.

The sudden jolt gave the young man a shock and caused him to drop his phone on the ground, "Hey!"

"Would you guys keep it down?" grumbled the Prince tiredly.

"Yes far be it from you to stay awake during the daytime," mused Ignis sternly.

Athenacia just kept the small smile on her face. The car fell quiet again and she peered over at the place Gladiolus had made it to.

"Everyone at least once a year of their life suffers from Campylobacteriosis," she said.

"That doesn't sound very good," said Prompto.

"It's just a common food poisoning around the area."

"I can assure you I have never suffered any sort of food poisoning," insisted Ignis.

"Sometimes symptoms are so minor you don't even notice them."

"I don't know... I can't say I've ever seen Iggy get sick," mused Prompto.

"As a doctor who has treated him before, I-"

"Will keep your oath and not violate patient-doctor confidentiality," interjected Ignis pointedly.

"Awe come on Iggy, it can't be that bad can it?" whined the blond in front.

"He got sick and didn't even know it until she pointed it out to him," offered Gladiolus. Ignis glared in the mirror at the Shield who just shrugged, "What? I'm not a doctor."

Prompto seemed to brighten up a that. Gladio told his friend of what happened that night, purposely leaving out the details that he and Athenacia had a big miscommunication and hadn't spoken in a week after their first date. The car then lit up with chatter about some of their adventures together since they had left the city. The girl listened intently, knowing the part about the Titan and was happy that it wasn't all perilous. It made the trip to wherever they were going much more pleasant and just fly by without the awkward silence, and they didn't even get through most of the story in the first place.

...

As the night was coming upon them, they were driving through the tunnel toward Lestallum. Athenacia was a little relieved they were stopping here, she would have a chance to grab her stuff and get a change of clothes. She waited patiently until the car was parked and one of the men on either side of her got out before she was able to, taking the hand that was offered to her by Gladiolus, feeling more pain than before. The elixer was wearing off, she would need another one soon if she had any hope of sleeping tonight, however, it could wait for right now since she had better medication in her bag.

Athenacia caught sight of her ugly blue truck before they left the parking lot and headed up the stairs toward the city. Her face blanched at the smell of food that crept its way up her nostrils, her stomach twisted into knots of nausea. It was with relief that they didn't take the time to stop though she was sure the others were hungry. As they pushed past the food vendors she knew that she was being led toward the hotel off on the edge of the city. That suited her fine as well, she wouldn't have to go far to retrieve her things. As they came to the top of the stairs she was nearly knocked over by a very relieved fifteen year-old girl. The problem was, the teen was pushing on her stitches as well as various other contusions that were hidden under the shirt and winced hard at the impact.

"Iris!" said Gladiolus sternly.

"Oh gods I'm so sorry!" said the girl quickly, detaching from the injured doctor and putting her hands on her face.

"What were you thinking?!" her brother barked at her.

"I'm sorry I'm just so happy you're okay and-"

"Stop," Athenacia held up both of her hands to silence the Amicitias, "It's okay, no need to get upset. Is my bag still in your room?"

Iris nodded fervently.

"Okay. I know we haven't acknowledged it, but I need to clean myself up. Can I just have a moment alone?"

Both of them nodded at her slowly.

"Take your time, Doc. We'll be here if you need anything," said Gladiolus.

Athenacia smiled at him before he grabbed Iris by the arm and dragged her into the room he would be sharing with his companions - the three of which who had taken their eyes off of her and also went into their room. Breathing a sigh of relief, she continued down the hall toward the room she was sharing with Iris before she was taken from the city. She closed the door gently behind and noted that Talcott wasn't here either. Maybe he was already gone to this Caem place that she kept hearing about, relieved, however, not wanting the young man to see her in her current condition. Grabbing her bag from the floor, she noted everything was there, no one had touched it. Carefully she took off her shoes and tossed them aside, taking her bag into the bathroom and closing that door behind her as well. Clothes aside and looked into the mirror, gasping at her own appearance.

She looked like pure hell if it took a human form, her left eye was far worse than she thought now that she had a chance to look at it. There was no way to even relieve any of the pain with her magic now that everyone else had seen it as well. It was huge, purple and black all around it as it could barely open a crack. Her bottom lip was split open as well, beginning to scab over slowly. The cut on her left cheek was expertly stitched up, almost as if she had done the work herself, and she was impressed considering the man had no prior medical training. That scrape on her right eyebrow hardly distracted her from her ugly scar sticking out from the borrowed shirt of the Prince. Athenacia carefully took it off, noting that everything was getting a little more painful as time went on. Removing the blood soaked bra was one of the best feelings she had in the world, taking a look a better look at it. Garbage, no way to that it would get cleaned. Frowning, she saw the contusion where her ribs were and carefully brought her cool fingers toward it, wincing as she tried to figure out which of her ribs was fractured. It was the fifth. The doctor concentrated on that and the golden lights healed them up. That would at least help her breathing and she continued her self-examination, turning to see her back. Carefully she peeled away the bandage across her scapula, revealing the stitches she had received there. Again, expertly closed as if she had done them herself. Her eyes rolled over and she saw the stab wound she received on the streets of Insomnia a while back, noting other contusions and minor lacerations there as well though there was nothing that needed her immediate attention. The rest of her clothes were removed and tossed aside. Her legs were probably in the best condition in than the rest of her body, minor contusions and that one open wound where the drill had gone to her bone. Athenacia turned, starting up the water and having another quick look at herself in the mirror.

The matter of her hair was a huge issue as well. There was blood and dirt in from the top, down to its length around her waist. Her bangs had grown out, as well as the dye she had placed in it what felt like ages ago. It was back to dirty blond, leaving her mostly exposed which is what she didn't want. Athenacia would have to fix that but not tonight, carefully stepping into the scorching water of the shower and pulling the curtain back. When the water hit her open wounds she winced, however, pushed her pain aside as she let it wash over her. Tears welled within her eyes as the dust finally settled and reality hit her in the face like a punch from an iron giant. Body quivering, she sobbed quietly, hugging herself as she did so while the steam filled the room steadily. How long it lasted was unknown, but she began to clean herself when it was over. The dirt and blood caked on her was disgusting and she felt as such while scrubbing her skin raw. Hair was washed at least three times before she could even accept that it might be clean by now. Heaving a heavy sigh, she let the water roll off her as her skin began to prune but at least now it was clear as it rushed towards the drain. She turned it off, feeling a lot better than when she had first arrived.

Carefully, she dried herself off with a soft and clean towel. Athenacia made sure she hadn't pulled any of the stitches in her scapula before pulling on an oversized pink t-shirt and dark navy shorts that disappeared under it. Her hair she wrapped up in a towel since it would take longer to dry now and there was no need to hide that scar since Iris obviously knew who she was. There was no doubt that it was Gin's big mouth that alerted Gladiolus of what conspired here and by extension, Cor. For once that mouth got someone  _out_  of trouble. The doctor nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Iris sitting in the bed on her phone when she left the bathroom. So much for that moment alone, now she wouldn't have a chance to get away from them all.

Iris just watched her without saying a word while Athenacia picked up her med bag and opened it up carefully. She found her desired bottle and orally took two capsules to help her with the pain she was starting to feel. This would work better than any elixer of any strength. The young Amicitia just observed her nervously, obviously failing at finding any words and the doctor just took her drink of water before climbing into her bed carefully. Removing the towel, she carefully began to dry her long tendrils, - tough this was more in the nature of something to do.

"I never got to thank you yet," said Iris softly.

"Don't mention it," replied Athenacia, looking over at the young girl with a small smile.

Iris frowned, unable to face her. It was the hematoma that made her nervous, but there was nothing that could be done about it right now. Athenacia threw the towel on the ground and then carefully laid down in bed before she pulled the covers over her. Iris followed suit, turning the lamp off and letting everything go silent. The physician could see the shine of the young girl's phone screen and carefully rolled over so that her back was facing it. Things were better for her to lie on her right side anyway, since the left was swollen.

"Athenacia?" inquired Iris in that same small voice.

"Yes?"

"I'm really happy you're coming to Caem with us," said Iris.

"Me to," came the automatic response.

Athenacia bit her lip, letting a tear fall from her good eye. Those words would only make her guilt heavier when she left sometime in the night.


	33. Talia's Widow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your kind words and all the reading! It means so much to me!

Athenacia had managed to get some sort of sleep during the night before shaking awake at one of her usual nightmares, happy that she hadn't disturbed Iris in the process. Carefully, she rolled over and had a look at the window. The sun was just starting to peek up over the horizon. Perfect, the world was asleep. The girl got out of bed quietly and walked into the bathroom with her bag, shutting the door behind her before turning on the light. Wincing at the sudden brightness, she was able to adjust quickly and placed her bag gently on the ground, noting her dirty clothes still on the floor. Running a hand through her hair, she released a sigh and then stood in front of the mirror to observe her wounds.

Nothing had changed since yesterday and she couldn't do a full heal until she was far away from the others, however, she could at least help things along until then. Athenacia brought her left hand to her swollen eye and let the golden lights flow about it. She didn't take down the swelling too much, not wanting to arouse suspicion, and did the same for her other contusions and lacerations. Despite there being no notable difference, she felt a lot better, pain medication doing wonders. Quickly she pulled out clothes for the journey, black tights with a tiny pink skull on the bottom of them and a thin purple long-sleeved shirt to hide most of her wounds. There would be no way for her to hide the puncture in her left forefinger without full-on gloves but people would be staring more at her face than her hands. Not for long anyway. Fussing with her hair, she pulled it back into that braid over her shoulder to hide that ugly scar. It exposed her face a little more but with the beating she took she was a little unrecognizable. Unfortunately she would have to waste time grabbing supplies before she took off.

Satisfied, she threw out the old bloodied shorts she was wearing yesterday and hung up Noctis's shirt for the sake of it being found and returned, guilty that it couldn't be cleaned first. Athenacia packed up all of her things, turning off the light and carefully opened the door. Those sensitive ears listened intently and heard the soft and even breaths of Iris still sound asleep. Carefully, she padded toward the rest of her things, putting on her boots that only reminded her she needed new ones and slowly zipped them up. The gladius was strapped to her back, coming over her left shoulder instead of the right so as not to agitate her stitches on her scapula. Then, she put on her med bag, leaving that over one shoulder as well. Sighing, she took a final look around the room, making sure she had everything. Athenacia walked toward Iris's bed and placed a ball of grey and black fabric on the night table beside her, feeling terrible but it had to be this way, she could not risk anyone's life.

Athenacia walked toward the exit, opening the door slowly without making a sound before through it, looking up and down the hall and noting it was clear. She held the door as it automatically closed, heart in her throat at the soft  _click_  that echoed loudly in her ears. The doctor lingered only a moment before walking on noiseless feet to the stairs that would lead down to the first floor and out into the city. As she passed the door that Gladiolus and the others were staying in, she hesitated, feeling guilt eat away at her. The girl really didn't want to leave him just yet but he had a duty to the Prince and she wasn't going to be a burden on him. Heart heavy, she slowly continued to the stairs.

"Going somewhere?"

The physician nearly jumped out of her skin just as she reached the top of the stairs, whipping around immediately to confirm who had spoken to her. She was met with Ignis standing just outside of the door, arms crossed and a brow raised. He looked ready for the day despite it being so early in the morning and she heard the door close with a soft  _click_  much like the one she had sounded on her own door.

"Don't  _do_  that!" she hitched her breath.

"Apologies."

"It's fine, I'm just a little jumpy."

"Understandable given what you've been through. You have failed to answer my question."

"I was just going to get some new shoes, these ones are bloody and broken," she lied quickly.

He looked unconvinced, "You seem overdressed for a short shopping trip."

"What do you mean?"

"I see no reason your weapon must accompany you."

"Well, last time I was here wasn't exactly a positive experience."

"Fair point. In that case, I shall escort you."

"That's not necessary," she began her protest.

"I insist. As you said, your last excursion to the city was a trying time. You're feeling a little unsafe and I'm happy to offer my services."

Shit. There was no way she could refuse. The girl could only nod helplessly at him, having no choice but to accept his offer. This was not what she wanted at all.

"Splendid. Then there's no need to overburden yourself with your extra belongings."

"No, I guess there wouldn't be..."

Athenacia forced a smile and began walking back to the room she was sharing with Iris, using her key to open it slowly and was not surprised that Ignis stepped in the doorway behind her. The young girl was still sleeping so Athenacia was careful about putting her clothes bag back in its former position, placing her med bag on top of it and then carefully unhooked her weapon from her back. Frowning, she laid it gently flat on the floor underneath the bed and pulled the bed skirt over it. So close, she was so close! Guess it would have to wait until tonight. Internally sighing, she turned back to Ignis and stepped through the door he held open for her.

The two of them made it down the stairs side by side without saying anything and out into the quiet streets of Lestallum. The city was still asleep, only the night dwellers heading toward their den to await the sight of the stars once more. Athenacia actually preferred it this way, knowing that her face was still a mess. Despite this being her shopping trip, Ignis had led them to the food vendors. Figures he would try to force food on her. Truth be told, she still wasn't hungry but at least now she knew it was the pain medication she was taking. Ignis pulled out her chair and she smiled slightly as she sat down. He ordered himself an Ebony while she only drank water, and he took the liberty of ordering her some breakfast to which she just kept her gaze on her hands. The sun was rising higher and with it, her window to disappear. Even though she had resolved to leave tonight she was still hoping to make it out before anyone else had woken up.

"You're looking well, compared to yesterday," said Ignis lightly.

"Thanks, I heal fast," she replied.

They were silent again as their meals were placed in front of them. Athenacia poked at her egg with a fork and took one bite. Immediately she blanched, definitely not into eating right now. Instead she stuck to the bread, which was a bit easier on her nausea.

"I do hope you change your mind," said Ignis suddenly.

"What?" she looked at him confused.

"Do not play coy, Dr. Virum, we are both far too intelligent for that. You know leaving is not the best course of action."

"I wasn't-"

"Athenacia please," he gave her a stern look, "I saw the plan in your eyes the very second you were ordered to remain with us."

The physician sighed in defeat, looking down at her hands again. That overbearing guilt that she had been trying to repress since she was ordered by Cor to go with them to Caem burst within her and she was unable to face him, ashamed that she was caught in the first place.

"I have to leave," she said finally.

"I'm inclined to disagree," he replied with his calm and even friendly voice.

"You can disagree all you want, it has to be this way."

"The Marshal gave you a strict order. Do you truly mean to disobey it?"

She looked up at him with a frown, "I'm not a Glaive anymore. Cor can't command me to do anything."

"That set aside he has been a touch out of sorts with you in the wind."

"He'll survive."

"And Gladio?"

Athenacia looked away again. The guilt just kept eating away at her. Ignis was smooth, she had to give him that. He saw everything, even when it seemed he wasn't even looking - sneaky about it too because he knew what she was going to do before she even thought of it. Obviously she was going to have to be careful about this. Still, there was no harm in telling him some of the truth.

"He's part of the reason I need to go. I can't be around any of you," she replied in a low voice.

"Elaborate."

"You saw what happened to that base. They'll be looking for me, a huge target painted on my back. I can't put you all at risk."

Ignis only smiled, "Dr. Virum, we've been at risk the second we stepped out of the Crown City. Noctis is a fugitive, already hunted by the Empire. They would show up whether you were to remain or not."

"Yet another reason I should go, two of their targets aren't in one place. You're a strategist, you should know this already."

"Indeed, but I also know strength in numbers. You're in no condition to be wandering about the wilderness on your own."

"I'm a doctor, I'll be fine."

"Perhaps and I am not doubting your abilities. Consider also that the people here that have come to care for you, myself included, require your presence and peace of mind concerning your health a lot more than you think they do."

_"Athenacia," she heard the King call to her. Curious, she turned to him, "Take care. The world needs you more than you think it does. The people who have come to care for you, need you more than you think they do," he offered her a small smile._

Teas welled within her eyes as the words rang in her head. They were the last ones spoken to her by King Regis before that fateful day. Ignis was right, the Prince and everyone else were already being hunted by the Empire. Cor already knew this and wanted her somewhere safe. After all, she had caused him enough grief as it was. The man had even burst into an Imperial base just to save her, had come back for her after her terrible ordeal and kept her alive and running to this point. The more she thought about him the more she felt bad about going rogue and doing her own thing. There was also Gladiolus to consider. Had Ignis not caught her just now, she would have been a long way gone and it would have been a slap in all their faces. Athenacia owed them more than this piss poor behaviour. They had risked their lives to come and save her as well and this was not the way to repay someone for doing that. This man before her was right, there was no reason to run. Ignis was clever, he read her like a book, playing on all her fears and weaknesses and then crumbling them until she had no choice but to comply with his wishes. So much for all of her past training, she was slacking.

"Okay," she said finally.

"Yes?" he inquired.

"I won't leave until we're ready to go to Caem."

He smiled, "That is by far the most intelligent decision you've made in a while."

"Don't gloat, okay, it's unbecoming," she held her hand up, but still returning his smile.

The rest of their shopping trip consisted of the young doctor procuring things that she would need for yet another transformation. Ignis understood her need to change her appearance and offered her a better solution than the last time. Her last stop was buying some new shoes since the boots she wore had a massive drill hole in them and were still covered with her blood. Although it was cleaned up on the outside, she could still feel the sticky dried liquid on the inside through her tights. In the end she settled on two sets of boots just in case something happened to the other pair. Ignis took the bill of her excursion with violent protests on her end.

"I do hope you enjoyed your time on the outside," said Ignis as they came back to the hotel.

"You're going to keep me bedridden aren't you?" she raised a brow.

"Indeed. Until at least your appetite returns."

"I'm sure you'll find another excuse after that. I have issues sitting still, consider that while trying to keep me in bed and recovering."

"I shan't waste time conjuring a solution to your problem."

The physician returned to her hotel room to find that Iris was stirring. Ignis remained in his own room, appearing a lot more relaxed knowing that she wouldn't be running away from them. Athenacia would stay true to her word and travel with them to Caem, but only after she recovered from her injuries. It would be a slow process, however, she could use some of her magic to speed things along at least once a day. Ignis would notice it was going a little quicker than normal but she could wave that off to proper treatment and entice his ego a little. While was sure that he would see right through that, he would at least have no other option to pursue.

Athenacia took one of her shopping bags into the bathroom with her, closing the door behind her. Sighing, she pulled out the braid in her hair, having no trouble with the silky locks and let it fan out. It was already in a soft wave, which she wasn't overly unhappy with. The shirt was next, tossing it aside before she mixed up her bottles of dye. Once they were ready she applied them, keeping her hair away from the lacerations on her scapula and cheek. That was a mess she did not want to deal with should an accident happen. The doctor repeated the process the first time, covering her hair with a plastic bag and leaving the room. Iris was there on her bed, nose in her phone. The young Amicitia looked up at the doctor with a smile despite her appearance while Athenacia walked toward her bed and grabbed her bottle of water. More in the nature of something to do, she took her medication for pain and then another long drink. Iris didn't say anything, could smell the dye and knew what was happening.

"You look a little better," she said politely.

"I feel quite a bit better," Athenacia smiled.

"What colour this time?" Iris sat up in her bed.

"You'll see."

Iris only nodded and placed her phone down on the bedside table. Then, she frowned at the black and grey striped ball that wasn't there before she had gone to bed. The teen picked it up carefully and untangled it. What she was left with was a pair of fingerless gloves. Carefully, she slipped them onto her small wrists and then looked at the doctor expectantly. Athenacia smiled as she saw them finally back in use after holding onto them.

"They look good on you," said Athenacia.

"Thanks. Aren't they yours though?" asked Iris.

"Yeah. I got them when I was about your age. At first, it was to hide my bloody knuckles from my training with Cor but they grew on me, sort like a trademark. After I was done using them to hide I would use them to fight when I wasn't using a weapon."

"They're so clean though."

Athenacia laughed, "I haven't fought in years. They aren't much but they have sentimental value. I want you to have them."

Iris looked shocked to hear that, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's about time they found a different home."

The young girl smiled, "Thank you!"

Athenacia nodded at her. The two of them didn't speak while she waited for her hair to finish. Once the clock had finally clicked over, she returned to the bathroom to take out the bag and rinse her hair. Once all the colour had washed away off of her scalp she wrung out her hair, towel drying it and got a good look at herself. The girl smiled, giving another point to Mr. Scientia. That man sure knew his stuff, even if it was something as unlikely as hair dye.

Athenacia took scissors and began to cut where necessary, careful to keep all the bits of hair from spreading all over and only getting into the trash can. When she was finished her grooming she pulled out the blow drier and began to run that all along her head. Finally, after what seemed like hours her hair was falling softly against her skin. It was a deep red, making her look far less pale than the black did. It wasn't nearly as long either, the longest layer stopping at her elbows. She cut herself blunt bangs as well, reaching from her forehead all the way down to her eyebrows. It actually brought some attention away from that swollen eye she had and she was thankful for that. Given that she only had one good eye she would have to examine herself once she could see out of both of them in order to make sure she hadn't cut anything crooked. After all of that extra work today she felt exhausted. Pain medication or not, she was overexerting herself after the abuse she sustained. Maybe being bedridden wasn't such a bad idea after all. Athenacia cleaned up her mess and exited the bathroom, intent on sitting in her bed and not moving the rest of the day.

"I love it!" said Iris, running towards her.

The young woman had dressed and donned her new gift, carefully grabbing the hair with a big smile on her face and then let it fall from her fingers. Athenacia just smiled at her overly happy demeanour and continued her journey to her bed. Quickly she changed, something more comfortable, and got under the covers. Just in time it seemed, the door to her room had swung open.

"Knock, knock," announced Gladiolus as he came. He smiled once his eyes reached her, "Hey Doc! You going to change every time I see you?"

"I'm a chameleon."

He let out a small laugh, "Looks good."

She blushed slightly, "Thanks."

"Thought you might want a visitor."

"A visitor?"

Gin pushed past the Shield just then, nearly knocking him over despite the way he towered over her. Gladio only laughed as the extremely pregnant nurse was at her friend's side in an instant, on the bed and nearly fell over with her awkward shape. Once she got herself balanced she pulled the young doctor into a fierce hug, only keeping her arms around her neck.

"I'm so happy you're okay," said Gin before releasing her grip and having a look, "Gods you look terrible."

Athenacia laughed, "Thanks, I think."

"Seriously girl, that is a nasty hematoma."

"It'll go away."

"Where did you want this?" asked Gladiolus from the door.

He was holding a small bag that looked like it had a fair bit of weight to it. Gin looked over and just pointed to the ground beside her, in between the two beds while Iris looked on curiously.

"What is that?" asked the young girl.

"A surprise, help me with it," replied Gin.

Athenacia looked on with mild amusement as Gladiolus took a seat in the chair next to her bed. Once Gin had somehow managed to pull out all the tools she began to set it up with Iris's help. The injured doctor recognized it instantly once it was finished.

"You stole a portable ultrasound from the hospital?" asked Athenacia with a raised brow.

"No, no, borrowed," insisted Gin.

"Do they know you have it?"

"No."

"Then it's called stealing."

"Oh hush you. I'm going to bring it back I'm just borrowing without asking."

"Stealing."

"Stealing is when you don't bring it back."

"The line isn't that thick."

"Do you want to see my child or not?"

Athenacia only laughed. Gin handed her the tube of jelly and turned the machine on. The wand was placed in the doctor's hand and Gin lifted her maroon scrub shirt, waiting. Athenacia administered the jelly and then placed the wand against the woman's skin. Immediately the image of a very cramped baby came up on the screen. The physician wanted to tear at the sight, keeping her hand still as she watched the small hands move and the heartbeat at a steady pace.

"Wow..." said Iris in wonder, sitting down on the other side of Gin's feet.

"Would you look at that," said Gladiolus from behind her.

"It's so big now!" exclaimed Gin.

"He," corrected Athenacia.

"You're going to be sorry when it comes out a girl."

"Gin, the penis is right there," said Athenacia, pointing at the monitor.

"That could just be a finger."

"Yes, an eleventh finger."

"Hey what are we looking at?" asked Prompto as he stepped through the door, cutting off Gin's retort.

"It's her baby!" said Iris.

Ignis and Noctis had also joined them, both coming to hover around the monitor to get a look. Athenacia moved the wand a little so that she could observe the baby from all angles and make sure that all was healthy. There were no abnormalities nor signs of stress so that was a relief. Gin had the most healthy pregnancy the young doctor had ever seen, not sick a day since she had found out.

"Hard to believe we were all that small," said Noctis.

"Smaller even," said Athenacia, "The cells you began as are hardly the size of this baby's fist."

"Seriously?!" said Prompto in shock.

Athenacia nodded, "Absolutely."

"The wonders of the human body," mused Ignis.

"I don't buy it. The big guy couldn't have been that small," said Prompto.

"Believe it or not, Iris was bigger than I was when she was born," replied Gladiolus.

"By three pounds no more!" retorted Iris.

"Makes all the difference," he teased.

The chatter about the upcoming child provided a warmer atmosphere in the room. It was nice to speak about happier things and Athenacia welcomed the distraction. Gladiolus hovered near her but didn't actually make any physical contact. It wasn't that he didn't want to, merely hesitant after everything she had been through during the time they had been apart. The girl wasn't talking about it for a reason, largely ignoring her trauma's and keeping to herself. Gladio didn't want to push her so soon after reuniting with her, she would open when she was ready, he was sure of that.

As things wound down into yet another night, Gin packed up her "borrowed" portable ultrasound machine and got ready for her shift. The nurse promised to come by tomorrow and try to speed up the healing process, awkwardly carrying her bag out of the room. Ignis took it upon himself to have food brought up to the room, giving a sizable portion to the recovering doctor. Her pain medication was still blocking her appetite, however, she did manage to squeeze in a few more bites than this morning so he didn't press the issue too much.

"Gin is almost done her term," said Ignis.

"Yeah she's got about eight weeks left," replied Athenacia, her meal abandoned on the night table.

Gladiolus was still in the chair beside the bed, Prompto taking Gin's vacated spot. Iris remained on her bed while Ignis and Noctis had moved the sitting area furniture to be apart of the social group. Everyone else had finished most of what was on their plate, the young Prince still a picky eater it seemed. Athenacia only smiled at the tireless argument with Ignis about vegetables.

"She's all alone?" asked Prompto.

Athenacia nodded, "Her husband died fighting the war. Connilo Talia."

"She's Talia's widow?" asked Gladiolus incredulously.

"Yeah."

"I had no idea..." said Ignis.

"Talia?" asked Noctis.

"One of the higher ranking Glaives. He won many battles while he fought," supplied Ignis.

"He was on his way to Cor's stats," added Gladiolus, "But in the end, he didn't make it out. Still, he went out like the best of them."

"That's rough," said Prompto.

"About two weeks after the news of his death Gin found out about the baby. I remember those weeks very vividly. But she didn't miss a day of work, not even to mourn. She knew what she was getting into when they married," said Athenacia.

"That's so sad," remarked Iris.

"It really depends on how you look at it. Maybe she feels pain in her own time, but she carries his child and she does so with pride. She gets to raise that child to know his father gave his life for the best cause. She'll never truly be away from her husband while she raises their son."

...

The streets Lesallum were mostly quiet in the evening. Most of the nightlife patrons were in the mass of the streets, drinking, eating, dancing, whichever they chose. The woman passed them with little attention, having no desire to partake in their festivities. She walked down the less crowded streets until she got toward the parking lot, going even further, the warm wind blowing her hair out of her face. Down the stairs to the overlook, she could only spot three people staring out where the Archeon used to reside. She didn't go near any of them, instead, she went to sit on the bench and look up a the stars.

An hour later, a man sits beside her, keeping his distance and staying on the other side of the bench with no intention of even looking at her. A hood obscures his face from any onlookers, appearing busy on his phone. More couples have made their way over now that the night has grown later, but the two on the bench paid them little mind. She was still fixated on the stars, her eyes filled with wonder at all of them. It never ceased to amaze her how vast the sky truly was. Just hanging up there without a care in Eos about what went on beneath it. Everything in this world was much bigger than her.

Sighing dreamily, she brought her head back down to look around her. The warm wind blew again, bringing with it the scent of a bad omen, something she picked up on immediately. So many negative things had been happening lately it wouldn't make much of a difference. Standing up slowly, she decided she had enough of her time in the night air. Stretching a little awkwardly, a couple walked by with a strange look on their faces in her direction. She began to walk away, no longer needing to stay here.

"She's gone red this time," said the woman as she passed by the hooded man on the bench.


	34. Rapid Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much!

By the next morning, the swelling in Athenacia's left eye had gone down a considerable amount. While she still couldn't open it, her magic had worked wonders and even impressed the others with its result. As she had previously thought, Ignis was a little suspicious of her rapid recovery but chose not to voice his opinions. The girl knew that even he couldn't come up with a logical explanation as to how she was able to do so. Pain was manageable and the dosage of her medication lowered, yet her appetite did not return, however, she did manage to finish one plate full of food in the course of an entire day and that was an improvement to her. As promised, she made no attempts to leave on her own and only paced around the room when she grew increasingly restless. Iris was at her side consistently. It seemed that no matter which way Athenacia stepped the young girl was underfoot and it was mostly a shock. Once Iris had learned the true identity of the doctor, she happily chatted away more so than before. The young Amicitia loved her gift and wore those black and grey fingerless gloves every chance she could get. Athenacia wasn't overly unhappy with it but she had never been in this sort of situation and was starting to get a little uncomfortable. They were sharing a room so there wasn't really much she could do besides get used to it. Gladiolus, however, had picked up on the very small tension that only formed around the one woman and swiftly sent his sister elsewhere for a couple of hours.

On the third day of recovery, Athenacia's swelling was down some more and she was sure by tomorrow she would be able to open her eye. The world with only one line of vision grew tiresome, truly counting her blessings that she was able to see. The stitches on her scapula and cheek were ready to come out and Ignis was rather shocked. Again, she shrugged it off as healing fast and he still remained unconvinced. Nevertheless, he helped her remove them and tried to force a decent meal on her once more. Athenacia only managed the one plate in the span of a day but it was still better than nothing, assuring him that once she was off her medication she would be eating normally - though even she wasn't so sure about that. Her nightmares remained and if anything, were more intense than they were before. Athenacia had witnessed new horrors, was kidnapped and tortured and was still being hunted down by her enemies. Her dreams were plagued by that man who would laugh in her ears and then command her to kill everyone she was close to. If Iris noticed her waking up in the night, she wasn't saying anything about it. The doctor didn't talk about what happened, simply because she couldn't. It was very traumatic and she just wasn't ready to feel that sort of vulnerability, not out here in an open city anyway. Maybe if she felt safe again she would but only time would tell if that were ever to happen. Still, being here made her feel exposed, however, she understood the need.

By the end of the day, all of them were gathered in the room as they had taken to doing while she was stuck. Athenacia was thankful that they even bothered to take the time to be around her. Even Gin had come to dine with them, taking every opportunity that she could to be around her friend. They had all been through a lot in their own way, it just felt nice to be around familiarity. After dinner was finished, most of them went into a food coma while Athenacia left her picked at plate uneaten on the bedside table. Gladiolus looked on with a bit of a worried frown but chose to keep his mouth shut about it.

"Cia, I've been meaning to ask you," began Gin.

"What's up?" asked Athenacia, picking up on the uneasy demeanour of the nurse.

"Tash never made it back here..."

The doctor sighed, looking down at her hands as they gripped the blanket tightly. The guild of what happened ate away at her most nights except for when she had returned here to Lestallum after being in the clutches of the Empire.

"She's not coming."

Gin let out a small gasp. Tears welled up in her eyes and she too looked down at her own hands.

"I'll let her sons know."

Athenacia nodded, "Tell them it was my fault."

"What?"

"I left her alone. I shouldn't have done that."

"What do you mean, Doc?" asked Gladiolus gently.

All of them were looking at her. While Iris was in the city, she was being evacuated but Athenacia was in the middle of the action and they had yet to hear what happened while she was there. All of them had been so busy trying to push it aside and fight off their enemies that they hadn't spoken much of it. The young doctor caught the eye of the Prince briefly before looking away. The grip on her blanket was so tight that her knuckles were pure white, tears welling up in her cheeks as she thought back to that fateful day when she should have acted quicker, better than she had.

"The Niffs attacked. Tash and I... We left the hospital, I was bringing her with me to Cor. I knew he would have a way for us to get out to safety. But then the wall fell... Shattered into millions of pieces like it was thin glass. Then they all came pouring down on us. The dreadnaughts flew low and troopers fell from the sky, wave after endless wave. I fought them all off as best as I could. I left Tash to save other citizens and try to keep her out of the crossfire. But when I came back... A building had collapsed on her and I couldn't find a pulse..." explained Athenacia.

"It's not your fault," said Gladiolus instantly.

"No it's not," agreed Gin, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"That part is. I shouldn't have left her," replied Athenacia darkly.

Gin put a hand on the young doctor's shoulder, "Her sons will be happy to know that you were there for her. You tried girl, but you can't save everyone. You learn that in med school, remember?"

Athenacia nodded, keeping her grip on her blanket. It didn't matter what was said, she had failed her friend and so many others that night.

...

Day four and as the doctor predicted she was able to open her left eye for the first time since the hematoma had formed. Her magic had helped immensely and it felt good to be able to see again. Athenacia walked into the bathroom, no longer wincing at the light and closed the door, peeling off her clothes so that she could have a proper examination of herself. Standing in front of the mirror, she saw that her hair wasn't uneven as she previously thought. Her left eye - now open - was still surrounded by a mass of purple and black but at least it wasn't swollen anymore. The split on her bottom lip had scabbed over as well as the scrape on her right eyebrow. Athenacia would forever have a scar on her left cheek from the knife wound, starting the same height as her bottom lip and extending to the end of her jaw diagonally. Frowning at it, she ran her finger along the line lightly, skin readying itself to scab over.

Tearing her eyes away in disgust, she continued her examination. Most of her other contusions were faded into that ugly yellow colour, minor lacerations scabbed and some were peeling away. The puncture she suffered on her left forefinger was black as it was attempting to heal itself without taking her nail in the process. The drill hole hadn't started to scab yet but was looking better, same with the laceration on the scapula. Overall her healing process was coming along nicely. Soon she would be fit for travel but she was sure that Ignis was waiting until she showed proper eating habits. Pain was minimal, only some minor wincing remained and she routinely used her magic to heal herself slightly to speed things along. When she left the bathroom there was already food waiting for her and a very suspicious Mr. Scientia. Athenacia smiled briefly at him before walking toward the chair beside her bed. Like yesterday, she just picked at her food, only taking a few bites and then nausea. Ignis looked on disappointingly and she couldn't meet his gaze.

"I just don't feel like eating," she said softly.

"At least now we know its not of a physical nature," replied Ignis.

"It'll come back, we don't need to have me hold everyone up."

"The Marshal wishes for you to be in Caem. Until I'm certain there is no longer a need to hover near medical facilities we will remain."

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off by Gladiolus, Prompto, Noctis and Iris entering the room. Athenacia smiled at them, moving to her bed so that someone else could sit in the chair. As usual it was Gladiolus, who looked again at her full plate a little sullen. The girl only smiled sadly at him before flinching violently at the shock of Prompto jumping into her bed beside her, holding his camera.

"I thought since you have both your eyes you'd want to see the pictures," said Prompto.

"Sure," she smiled.

Athenacia took the camera gently in her hands and began to have a look. Most recent pictures where various shots of everyone - excluding herself - around Lestallum. A smile remained on her face as she scrolled through them.

"How many tombs left around here? asked Noctis.

"Can't be many," replied Gladiolus.

"You're hunting tombs?" asked Athenacia, her eyes still on the camera.

"Royal tombs of old Kings and Queens of Lucis," supplied Ignis.

"What for?"

"So Noct can gather the power of his ancestors," answered Prompto proudly, "See? There's one there."

Athenacia stopped on the picture he was pointing at. Cor was standing in front of what indeed looked like an old tomb and she frowned as she studied it. There was a scowl on his face, unimpressed like always. The time stamp said it was the day after the city fell when he would have realized that she wasn't among the refugees. Images of a red sky and a raging wind burst into her mind. Athenacia had seen this place before, had been there, stood before it a long time ago. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she tried to force them away from her, but only the touch of someone on her right side made her flinch away and take her out of her own thoughts. Internally she groaned, guilt eating away at her. After the first night of her rescue, she had been jumping away anytime Gladiolus tried to make any sort of contact with her. Athenacia hated herself for it, however, she was so on edge being here in the city that she just couldn't help it. The Shield rarely reached for her when she was looking and that wasn't helping either. As he leaned back in his seat, she could see the effect her actions were taking on him. Keeping a frown on her face she went back to the camera.

"So what do you need with ancestral power and Gods anyway?" she asked, trying to make sense of this all.

"Surely you know of the King of Light?" asked Ignis.

"King of Light?"

"Indeed, the Chosen King of Light to banish the world's darkness."

"No shit, that's real?"

"It is. I'm the lucky one," said Noctis a bit heavily.

"I always thought it was some fairy tale. Cor used to tell me about it all the time before bed."

"Wait,  _Cor_ the Immortal read you bedtime stories?" asked Prompto.

"Well sure. He visited the orphanage all the time to see me..." she frowned, thinking about, "Actually he was always there. He came almost every night to put me to bed."

"I had no idea," said Noctis.

"Yeah, he'd... He would come once or twice a week during the day and then almost every night to read to me. It was always old stories of the Chosen King and how we got where we are. I never actually thought they were real though."

"They're real alright," said Gladiolus.

"Cor seriously came to read to you every night?" asked Noctis incredulously.

She nodded, "Yeah until I was about seven. Then he took me out of the orphanage entirely. I lived with him for a while."

"He adopted you?" asked Ignis.

"No that never happened. I think it was simply just that I was getting too old to be there and it was easier for me to move if he was coming around all the time anyway. About a year later he put a weapon in my hand and that's when I learned to fight."

"How old? When you were put into the war?" asked Gladiolus.

"I think about 12 or 13 I'm not entirely sure."

"How long did you fight?" asked Noctis.

"Too long... I'd really rather not talk about it..."

Athenacia turned her attention back to the camera and kept scrolling. No one else had said anything, only left her solemn note hanging. It was then she came across something that made her do a double take. Fear struck down to her very core as she laid her eyes on the man that had been chasing her since the Crown City fell. The background in the picture was the outlook here in Lestallum and he was smiling that same evil smile he usually had when he towered over her. Her hand shook slightly as she felt those evil amber eyes bore into her very soul despite this only being a digital image of him. Athenacia flinched her other arm and then cursed herself internally. Again, Gladiolus had tried to offer her some sort of comfort and she jumped away from him like he was the enemy. She turned to look at him with her mouth open to apologize but he was only looking at his feet with a frown on his face. Shit, she really had to stop doing that to him.

"Dr. Virum, is everything alright?" asked Ignis.

"Who is this man?" she asked, turning so that they could see.

There was a mutual groan of disgust at the question upon seeing him.

"That's Ardyn," answered Prompto.

"Ardyn?" she frowned, looking back at the picture.

"Chancellor Ardyn Izunia of Niflheim," offered Ignis.

The Chancellor of Niflheim? What could  _he_ possibly want with her? Athenacia was just some orphan, no reason whatsoever for him to take such a keen interest in. None of this made sense at all - if anything she was more confused now than before.

"You know him, Doc?" asked Gladiolus.

She shook her head, keeping her eyes on the image, "No," she lied.

...

Day five and Athenacia woke up to an empty room, happy about that after violently shaking out of her bed from her nightmare. The floor didn't hurt as much as her own bedroom thanks to the carpet, however, she did feel bad for the room below that had to hear her body thump against the ground. Groaning, she pushed herself off the floor and back onto her feet, immediately walking into the bathroom so that she could begin her healing process and hopefully get the hell out of this place. The longer she stayed here the more unsafe she felt.

Athenacia peeled off her clothes to begin her examination. Her left eye was still incredibly black and purple but least there was no swelling. The scabs that didn't already fall off were ready to at any moment, while that laceration on her cheek was finally healing over. The drill hole in her shin was about the same status, other minor cuts and contusions were nearly gone. Overall, she was quite happy with her progress, starting her own small healing process and then began the water in the shower. Athenacia kept it scorching hot as usual and stayed in there far too long after she pruned. After she had carefully towel dried herself she pulled on her clothes, landing on some more small shorts and this time a white tank top. Lestallum always appeared overly warm to those around her but she found it comfortable. The girl pulled a brush through her damp locks with ease and didn't bother to tie it up. Ignis still wasn't letting her out of her room just yet so she had no need to hide her telltale scar.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, the room was still empty. Athenacia wasn't really all that surprised, she didn't like being cooped up in here why would anyone else? Stretching a bit, she decided to get some fresh air on the terrace despite the grey overcast that met her outside. Pulling the hair over her shoulder to hide that scar was instinctual as she observed the busy citizens on the streets. None of them were looking up at her and they really wouldn't have any reason to. Athenacia caught the bright blond hair of Prompto walking with Iris and Noctis. Neither Gladiolus nor Ignis were with them but she didn't really ponder that too long. Something grazed her back just then, making her spin quickly, bringing her right fist with her and connecting with the jaw of Gladiolus. Both of them grunted at the thickness of his skull that set back her healing by nearly breaking her knuckles and him with the impact she had delivered to him. The girl hissed at the pain that spread through her hand, fighting off her second nature to just deal with it now using magic.

"You got a mean right hook, Doc," remarked Gladio.

Athenacia looked up at him, a grimace still on her face. He was rubbing his jaw where she had struck him, mildly shocked.

"Sorry," she replied sheepishly.

Gladiolus just shrugged it off. He had been doing that a lot as of late. Every time he would try to get close to her she flinched away from him. The Shield tried not to dwell on it, but each occurrence made him feel worse than the last. Gladio knew that she was uneasy being in Lestallum after what happened, knew that she needed some time, however, still she would flinch away and that only left one remaining fact in his mind: she didn't feel safe with or around him.

"You okay?" he asked, dropping his hand.

"I'll be fine," she assured him, narrowing her eyes in thought, "Let me take a better look at that."

Athenacia walked back into the room and he followed her. There was a plate of food waiting for her on the bedside table, internally sighing and feeling nauseous just looking at it. Grabbing her med bag, they both sat down on her bed across from each other. Gladio saw that her knuckles were already swelling and starting to form a bruise while she unzipped the bag. Carefully she took his chin in her hand, clicking her pen light to have a better idea of the damage she had done. There was a faint red mark, not even worthy of turning into a bruise. Figures he did literally have a thick skull. Athenacia then went to work on her own hand, placing a numbing agent on it and then proceeded to wrap it up. Gladiolus wordlessly assisted her, taking over completely so that it would be tight enough. A pin was placed there to hold the wrap together and he kept the injured hand in his own massive one. Athenacia didn't pull away, merely put her things back in their place with her other hand. Once that was finished, her focus remained on her injury still within the gentle hold of the large man, unsure of what to say to him and afraid to meet his gaze.

This was the first time the two of them were alone together since they had been reunited. Things between them were left so tense and negative that neither of them really knew how to act around the other. On top of that, so much had happened while they were separated. It was hard to know what to do, what to think, how to react. She was going through a healing process of a bad trauma that she suffered while he had his own doubts about his ability to do his own duty - and neither of them knew how to communicate anything that they usually just kept on the inside.

"Hey I brought you something," said Gladiolus suddenly, releasing her hand and grabbing the bag beside the plate.

"You brought me jerky?" her eyes lit up as he placed it in her hands.

"The best they have here."

Athenacia laughed, "Thanks," she tore open the package and grabbed a piece, however, as soon as the meat hit her mouth she only slowly chewed it.

"No good?"

"It is I just... I don't feel like eating..." she said sadly.

Gladio sighed, taking the bag from her hands and sealing it up. The girl looked back down as he placed it back beside the food she had no intention of eating either. Over the past few days, he had been watching her force bites here. Ignis said she was off her medication so she should be picking up food again soon. It was really the only thing that kept them in the city but she wouldn't eat. The Shield wished there was something more he could do to help her, afraid that she would hold onto this just the same as she did with her horrors of war. His amber eyes drifted to her injuries, noting something different.

"That's new," remarked Gladiolus, his hand coming to trace a scar on her arm he had never seen before.

Athenacia went rigid at his touch but didn't shy away.

"Arachne," she said, twisting her arm to get a better look at it.

"Arachne spits out level six poisons. It only reacts to two types of antidotes."

She smiled, looking at him, "Yeah exactly. You really have been studying my books."

"Don't act so surprised, Doc."

"Well with the wrap and the knowledge you'd make a pretty good nurse I think."

"Yeah right. You just want to see me in one of those skimpy uniforms."

The image that he put inside of her head made her giggle. That usual grin took over his face at the sound and he felt a bit better about the situation. As her laughs subsided, she looked away from him shyly. The same sort of tension hung in the air, turning the mood back to solemn. They were still sitting close to one another but he didn't want her to flinch back from his touch again. It hurt him every time he did so, reminding him that things didn't end very well between the two of them. The last time they had spoken face to face, he had made an insensitive comment about the immigrants in the Crown City just getting over the loss of their homes. It took him a while to figure out why that was such a bad thing to say and why she was so upset. Although he had left her a voicemail apology, they never had a chance to actually talk through it. Now there wasn't much to say on his end. Gladio knew exactly how she felt about it and understood where he had gone wrong - and he had no time to mourn about any of it. He had a duty, however, his duty was currently wandering the city and not really occupying his time at the present moment.

"Hey Doc..." he began, his voice heavy with emotion.

"Yes?" she looked at him curiously, his tone causing her brows to knit together in worry.

"The Empire... They invaded my home, burnt it to the ground and forced me out of it..." it was hard to say out loud.

Athenacia felt tears well in her eyes. His head was downcast, his fists tightened. It dawned on her that his father was in the city, protecting his King. He too would have passed when Regis did, b the Prince needed him and she knew that Gladio wouldn't have put himself before anyone else like that. The man was so broken right now, so vulnerable, something she was sure no one else had ever seen. This was not Gladiolus Amicitia, the sworn Shield. This was just Gladio, a man who had lost nearly everything in the invasion of his home. A man that was opening up to her and kept chasing her despite everything she had put him through. A man that was now in a very similar position to her own. The physician let a tear fall, sitting up to her knees and pulling him into an embrace. He allowed her to pull his head so that it rested just under her chin as she laid her cheek on top of his head and burrowed her face in his hair. Tears welled in her eyes while she held him tightly. A moment later, she felt his arms wrap around her and pull her close as well, not quite sure if there was something damp on her skin or not.

"I know," she said soothingly, "I'm so sorry."

The Shield only held her tighter after she spoke and she moved to kiss his forehead, seeing the anguish on his face. It made her heart heavy, hurt her in such a different way than she had ever felt before. In this moment that the walls had dropped and she let him in, she felt all his pain as if it were her own. Athenacia took his sorrow from losing his father, the sadness he felt at his home reduced to ruins. She took the anger that built up over the enemy nearly vanquishing everything he cared about, the grief he carried around but never released. She took all of it away from him to help soothe his tired soul, because she knew better than anyone how hard it was to shoulder that all by oneself. Suddenly she understood what Lady Lunafreya meant in her note after the two had parted ways.

Gladiolus took solace in her arms. The comfort she provided him was something he desperately needed even if he didn't realize it. For the first time since the city fell, he didn't feel so overburdened, he could just relax while she was there for him. So much had happened it felt good to finally relieve all the pressure that was building up within him. Athenacia made him feel better without even doing anything and knowing that he could keep an eye on her helped as well. The comfort that was provided to him in her tiny arms despite her ordeal made so many things come to light. He needed her in his life.


	35. Psychology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much! you're amazing!

Day six. Athenacia woke up with the biggest hunger pang in the history of her life. Groaning, she wrapped her arms around herself to try and soothe the pains she felt there. The doctor also had this undying need to leave, no longer able to handle this sort of containment. It had been long enough and she was completely done with it, never liked being stuck in one place for too long anyway, not even sure how she managed it. Promise or not, she was done just sitting around on her hands helplessly, so she threw the covers off her with a purpose, noting the sky was still dark out. Her nightmare had her up earlier than usual but that didn't deter her in the slightest.

The physician walked into the bathroom to start her examination and healing process. There wasn't a notable difference, aside from maybe her eye was a little lighter on the black. Everything was external now so it could go it's natural course. Athenacia unwrapped her right hand to have a better look at it. The knuckles weren't broken but they were puffy and bruised. In the end she decided to speed up the process a little, internally cursing herself for giving away her gloves far too soon. It was a little sore but manageable at least. Shrugging, she started the shower, taking longer than she needed to. There was no more of this sitting around, she was determined to go outside today. Stepping out of the tub, she brought the towel around her slender frame, another towel for her hair and wiped off the mirror so she could see herself. At least with that hematoma, no one could see the dark circles she usually carried under her eyes. Skin was still pale though, nightmares leaving no chance for sleep. Sighing slightly at her appearance, she dried off herself off before pulling on her clothes, thin light blue jean capris with a rip on the left knee. Her shirt was also thin and dark blue coming down to her mid forearm. Athenacia wanted to hide as many of her injuries as she could, beginning the braid that would hide the rest of her neck scar. There was nothing she could do about the laceration on her face but at least she had most of it done. Giving herself one more look, she kicked her mess into a corner and then stepped out of the bathroom.

The sun had come up during her preparation for the day and Iris was beginning to stir. Athenacia walked to her bed and slipped on some socks before pulling on one of the pairs of boots she had bought nearly a week ago. They were brown, laced up to her knees with a buckle at the top and just before her ankle. The best part about them was the padding on the feet and she relished in it for a moment before standing from the bed. Just as she was going to walk to the door it began to open. The girl nearly groaned when Ignis had stepped through it, the look he was giving her speaking volumes.

"Don't you knock?" she asked pointedly.

"Forgive me but I hadn't heard movement and was certain you would be asleep. Going somewhere?" he asked with a brow raised.

"Yeah, I'm going outside. I don't care what you say or about your opinion, I've been stuck in this stupid room for a week and I'm going nuts. You are not going to stop me, I am fully ready and willing to fight you to get out of here," she replied, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest.

"You're more than welcome to leave the room," replied Ignis calmly.

Athenacia narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Is that so?"

"Certainly. Frankly, I'm shocked it's taken you this long to fight your containment."

"Are you serious?"

He nodded, "The Marshal assured me you'd be ready to move the minute you were no longer submissive."

The look she was giving was harder than before. The girl turned over the words in her head, growing angrier by the second. Both him and Cor had played her for a fool. Damn, he was good, she really had to keep her eye on him. Still, she growled, throwing her hands up in defeat.

"I  _hate_ psychology!" she cried.

...

Ignis accompanied the doctor outside of the hotel and down to the nearest restaurant where Gladiolus and Prompto were also sitting. There was no sign of Noctis and Athenacia knew that Iris was still in her bed. There were far more people outside than last time, given that it was a hot and humid sunny day. Anxiety wished to bubble up within her but she internally shrugged it off as hunger. And make no mistake, she was ravenous. The physician took her seat beside Gladio, across from Prompto who only smiled at her. The girl knew this place well from her war days, making a stop here for a decent night's sleep while on the road for weeks at a time. Most of all, she remembered the food.

"I want a peameal benedict, three eggs medium. I want three sausages as well on the side and a bowl of fruit. Also a stack of chocolate chip pancakes with a fruit smoothie. What did you guys want?" she looked at them expectantly.

Prompto had his mouth agape at her while Ignis looked mildly shocked. Gladiolus, on the other hand, had a knowing grin on his face and carefully placed his arm around her lower back so his hand rested on her left hip. Athenacia tensed at first but calmed herself down enough to relax her body, not wishing to deter him but she was still having a bit of trouble now that she had left the safety of her room. This is what she wanted, however.

"It seems your appetite has returned," stated Ignis once the rest had ordered.

"You're not really gonna eat all that are you?" asked Prompto.

"You bet she is," answered Gladiolus proudly.

"Perhaps you should refrain from overburdening your stomach," suggested Ignis politely.

"Iggy's right. I mean, where are you even going to put it all?" Prompto was still disbelieving.

"In my mouth. You both seem to be forgetting I'm a doctor who hasn't eaten in a week," she replied in a nonchalant manner.

"Then you can tend to your own illness," replied Ignis dryly.

"I mean if you can't finish something..." Prompto left it hanging.

Athenacia held up the butter knife and pointed it at him, "You will not touch my food or I will cut you. And remember, I'm well versed in the human anatomy so I can make it count even with this dull knife."

"I thought you were nice."

"Not when it comes to my food."

"Gladio!" whined Prompto.

"You heard the lady," Gladiolus shrugged, pulling her closer to him on the bench seat.

Athenacia felt a blush rise to her cheeks. After their walls fell yesterday there wasn't much uncertainty left between them. Harsh words were said ages ago and they had attempted to repair that damage before the tragic incidents had occurred. They spent all the time in between worrying about each other even if she was the only one who knew of his whereabouts. They never really thought about what would happen if they were put into the position that they were now, but they wanted to be around each other, even if they didn't get the chance to do so alone. Athenacia wanted to be close to him but was having trouble with his physical contact while Gladio just wanted reassurance that she was still his even if they hadn't really talked about it. The doctor had been on her own for so long and felt terribly exposed, however, if she didn't push past it then she would never get over it and she didn't want to hurt him anymore - not after yesterday.

Gladiolus kept his arm around her even when their food came and they began to eat. Athenacia made true on her promise and ate everything she had ordered. Prompto was still in shock, and even Ignis couldn't hide his own amazement, but Gladio knew what her eating habits were like and was relieved to see them back to normal. There were only minimal pieces of fruit left in a bowl but everything else was gone. The physician took the bill at her own insistence and looked far better than she had in days despite the cut on her cheek and purple eye.

"What happened to your hand?" asked Prompto.

They had risen from their seats, Athenacia intent on not going back to her hotel room just yet. So they walked toward the market, giving Ignis a chance to gather the last round of ingredients he may need. The girl had no desire to buy anything but just enjoyed the outside air. Gladiolus hovered close to her, noting she was a little tense when people bumped into her. Prompto was on her other side though he didn't really pick up on her uneasiness. It was something that one really had to look for and the Shield was in protective mood knowing that she was still healing.

"Ask his face," she jerked her head toward the towering man beside her.

"That's where that came from?"

"It almost hurt," Gladio shrugged.

"You really are thick headed."

"You willing to find out first hand?"

Athenacia laughed. At least nothing much had changed the dynamic between them. Prompto still did what he could to get a rise out of the big man and he responded as expected. They could still have some fun despite the trying time and it made her feel hope that she could return to normal one day. They continued their wandering, leaving the market and coming down to the streets toward the hospital. Ignis had decided that maybe today would be a good time to start making their way to Caem and no one was really all that reluctant to leave. The main reason they had remained in Lestallum was now no longer an issue, but she wanted to see Gin before she left. Athenacia knew that the woman wouldn't be able to go with them, too close to term she needed to stay near the hospital for any complications. The nurse was waiting for them outside the main doors, sweating with the heat all around her. That girl did not do warm weather well when she was carrying all that extra weight. Athenacia smiled at her friend as she left the safety of her escort and toward the woman wearing maroon scrubs. They even bore her name, signifying an essential part of the team now.

"You still look like shit, but a lot better than the first day," said Gin.

"At least I'm not waddling," replied Athenacia.

"That's only temporary."

"We'll see."

"So you guys are really leaving then?"

She nodded, "Time to go now that I can."

"You'll come visit though right?"

"When it is safe to do so," assured Ignis.

"You can't have my nephew without me," said Athenacia, placing her hand on the swollen womb.

"That's not up to me," Gin held her hands up.

Athenacia removed her hands and hugged her friend. When she was finished she gave one last rub and then stepped aside. Prompto came and knelt his head by Gin's baby.

"Have a good one, buddy," said the gunman.

"Do take care, my Lady," said Ignis politely, bowing his head.

"Are you sure I can't keep that one?" asked Gin, looking longingly over at the young doctor.

Athenacia just laughed.

"Maybe when we're done with him," replied Gladiolus. He placed his own massive hand on the pregnant woman's stomach, nearly covering it entirely, "Keep your mom in line," he said with a grin.

"Don't you listen to him, he's a troublemaker!"

With one last hug for the doctor, Gin bid them all farewell as they left the hospital area. Athenacia sighed a little sadly as she walked away, but least things would be safer without her wandering the streets and attracting unwanted attention. As they came back toward the line of street vendors where the cars drove through the city, Gladiolus was gone to procure his stash of cupped noodles. The doctor could only laugh as he enlisted Prompto's help with it. Ignis had gone two vendors down from where she stood and that left her alone on the street. Instinctively she put her hands across her body to hug herself, keeping her eyes everywhere, looking for her exits just in case she ran into someone she needed to get away from. Gladiolus and Prompto were easy to make a beeline for and Ignis would be the first to reach her should she need any sort of assistance. Exhaling deeply, she noted people were coming by and every sound had her eyes darting towards it. Anxiety bubbled within her but she held it together, trying to convince herself that she wasn't in danger, that safety was all around her.

Athenacia gasped, jumping out of reach of someone who had put a hand on her shoulder. The man she was faced with held up his hands in surrender, trying to show her that he wasn't going to hurt her. Pulse quickened, hammering in her chest while she fought with herself to control her breathing. Ignis was at her side in an instant, observing the stranger just as she was. The doctor could swear she had seen him before, piercing green eyes, messy untamed hair on the top of his head and an obscured scar hidden by his short black beard. He was taller than her, as most people were, but he was looking at her with concern at having startled her.

"I'm sorry," he said instantly, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Do I know you?" she asked.

"No, you wouldn't. But you're Athenacia, aren't you?"

"Depends on who's asking."

"I'm Jerem."

"I can't say I know any Jerem."

"I'm Tash's son, her youngest."

Immediately she tore her gaze away, looking down guiltily. Athenacia let out one deep breath, the image of Tash's body in the rubble coming to her mind. The image of her failure, of her friend who was counting on her.

"I'm sorry for your loss," said Athenacia, very aware of Ignis's eyes boring into the conversation.

"Gin told me. I just wanted to say thank you," replied Jerem.

She looked at him with a frown on her face, "For what?"

"For being a pain in her ass. She loved you like you were her own. She kept trying to get me to go to work with her and take you out. I just figured you were one of her dumb friends, pictures don't exactly tell the truth. But I bumped into you the other day, I thought it was you but I wasn't sure."

"I'm sorry I don't recall."

"Are you okay? That eye looks rough.'

"I'm fine, just an accident."

He nodded, "Well, I know it's kind of late and after the fact but... I mean maybe I should have listened to my mom. If you wanted to, that is?"

Was he seriously asking her out right now? Athenacia tried not to raise a brow, to show him the complete disbelief in his actions because she did not want to make him feel any worse than he already did after knowing he lost his mother. That didn't change the fact that she was caught off guard by this whole situation, having no idea that Tash was so pushy like this, nor that the woman even had pictures of her. This was the last thing she needed right now. Besides, she had other obligations.

"I-I can't, I'm sorry," she bit her lip, her eyes travelling over to Gladiolus.

The Shield was finishing up his purchase, totally oblivious to what she was up to. Athenacia let a gentle smile pass over her lips as she watched him before tearing her gaze away and back to the other man.

Jerem looked over as well, "Ah," he nodded in understanding, "Lucky guy. Hopefully, I'll see you around and thanks again for being there for my mom."

The physician didn't have a chance to respond, he was already leaving. It was a strange turn of events and she looked over at Ignis helplessly. The man kept his face neutral as he watched Jerem disappear, however, to her it was evident that this encounter didn't sit too well with him despite the man being a friendly face. There wasn't much time to speculate, the other two in their party joining them so that they could return to the hotel and make their final preparations.

...

Upon entering the room the boys were sharing, Iris was in there sitting quietly and Noctis was on the terrace. Instantly Gladiolus saw a dilemma. They were going to leave the city of Lestallum today and head toward Caem and he had something personal he had to do. Athenacia went to sit with the young girl while Prompto and Ignis began their packing. Noctis kept his gaze out toward the city, a bored expression on his face. The Shield walked out there, knowing that they had to resolve his personal issue somehow.

"Noct," he got the Prince's attention.

"What's up?" Noctis didn't move from his position.

Gladiolus started his pacing, up and down the terrace, "I got a problem."

"What is it?"

"Iris. I can't let her go it alone after everything that went down," the Shield came to lean his own arms on the balcony.

"You're forgetting something," chimed in Ignis.

"I'm not, I just haven't solved the problem yet."

"What problem?" asked Athenacia, perking up while Iris looked on curiously.

"The space in the car. No room for both of you in the back."

"They're not that big," said Prompto.

"But Gladdy is," replied Iris.

"Is it really that cramped back there?"

"Will be if we add even just one extra body," answered Noctis

"I have a truck," piped up Athenacia in a small voice, looking for an opening.

"Problem solved," said Prompto.

Noctis shrugged, "That didn't seem so hard."

Gladiolus nodded, "You guys take Iris. I'll follow with her truck."

"Sounds good."

"Are you packed?" asked Ignis, looking at the two women.

They both shook their heads, getting up to walk back toward the room they were sharing. Athenacia let Iris step in first before walking to the bathroom and gathering up anything she had left in there. Everything was tossed on the bed, noting that as time went on she was only gathering more and more things. The doctor packed up her toiletries, put her dirty clothes in a separate bag and somehow managed to fit her spare boots in there. Old habits really did die hard, zipping it up and placing it on her left shoulder so as not to agitate her healing wound. Athenacia then double checked her med bag to make sure that everything there was where she needed it. Lastly, she pulled out her sheathed weapon from underneath the bed. Iris seemed to have far less stuff but waited patiently for the other woman to be ready. Finally, Athenacia nodded, taking one last drink of her water bottle before walking through the open door courtesy of the young Amicitia. They made their way down the stairs and through the lobby toward the outside of the hotel. The men were waiting there, all of them ready to go as well. All of them journeyed to the parking lot, Iris actually excited to be going on an adventure with them. Athenacia, of course, knew that she was really happy about being so close to the Prince without her big brother looming over them. Too bad the young man was totally oblivious to the young girl's affections.

They reached the Regalia and packed up their things sans the doctors. Athenacia held onto her two bags and sheathed weapon, waiting patiently for them to be finished their preparations to leave. Ignis got in the driver's seat at the insistence of the Shield, who promised to tear off the arms of anyone else who drove. The physician did her best to contain her smile at the protective big brother and the light in Iris's eyes when she sat next to Noctis.

"My truck is back there. Ugly as sin not hard to spot," said Athenacia.

Ignis nodded, "Don't stray too far."

"I got this," replied Gladiolus.

The two of them went to the light blue truck parked on the other side of the lot. Athenacia tossed the keys at him and he caught them effortlessly. Grunting, she yanked open the door, a little stuck, and placed her things on the ground. Gladiolus bumped his knees on the steering wheel, instantly putting the seat back as far as it would go. Athenacia climbed in as well, shutting the door and heaving a sigh. The Shield looked around the truck with a smirk on his face. There was garbage littered all around the floor, crushed cans and containers probably starting to mould. There was also some dirty laundry in the mix. One quick look at the bed and he noted the piles of garbage back there as well and he was sure that some of it had flown away while she drove. There was also bedding in a bin that was strapped to the bed to stop it from blowing in the wind. When he was done his observation he looked at her with a brow raised.

"What?" she asked, catching his gaze.

"You've barely had this thing and it's messier than your apartment," he laughed at her.

"Well I don't exactly have a home," she huffed, crossing her arms and looking out the window.

"Sure Doc, you're not a slob," he continued to laugh.

"If you don't like it you can go in your fancy car and I'll drive my own truck."

Gladio only grinned as he started the engine despite her looking back at him with a pointedly.

"That's what I thought," she said triumphantly.

'You're a slob," he said one last time, before taking off after the Regalia.

"I'm homeless, there's a difference."

"Homeless people have less trash piles than you."

She scoffed, "Like you would know Mr. Overly Privileged. I bet you never cleaned up after yourself."

"Listen you, keep talking like that and I'll kick you out of this truck."

"It's  _my_ truck."

"You're welcome to fight me for it."

"Clearly you don't remember what happened to your jaw."

"Lucky shot. Won't happen again."

"I can't believe that the ego on you has gotten worse."

"You knew what you were getting into," he grinned at her again, "You can't resist it."

Athenacia giggled at him despite herself and looked down shyly when she met his brief gaze. Biting her lip in order to hide her nerves, she sneaked her small hand into free one and he held it firmly, glancing at her once more before going back towards the road. The girl didn't know why she was afraid to initiate contact with him, it's not like he was going to pull away but at least things between them were starting become more normal, like before. Smiling lightly, she hesitantly moved toward him, leaning her head on his shoulder. Gladio gave her a reassuring squeeze and she placed her injured hand on top of the one she was holding. Letting out a small breath, she felt better about breaking out of her shell, at ease for the first time in a while since the city had fallen. It wasn't long before she was dozing off, squeezing him tighter when she began to dream.


	36. Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for your support!

A raging wind blew through her hair, dirt coming to blind her eyes. Hissing at the pain, she wiped her angry tears and looked at the littered bodies strewn around her. They all had faces, faces that were contorted into agony at the death that had befallen them. The deaths that she was unable to stop because she was far too weak, because she couldn't lead anyone to do anything other than get killed. Her bag was clutched to her chest for dear life as she heard the terrifying roar of her enemy, those bright glowing red eyes coming for her and the rest of them. She had to save them, had to stop them from getting killed. Jaw set, she began to run toward the crying of humans in the distance. Debris smacked her from every direction and she whimpered, clenching her body and trying to push past the pain. It was a struggle to stay on her feet, wincing at the wind that tore apart at her skin. She kept going, trying to find her target. She had to save them, she couldn't let them all fall. Tears welled into her eyes as she pushed past the damaged buildings and enemies that were running around in confusion. A particularly large piece of debris slammed into her, making her cry out and fade into the wind. That bag was still clutched to her chest as she attempted to catch her breath.

Pushing herself to her feet, she took a quick assessment of the world around her. The target was in her ears and she was trying to stop the fear that took over her body as the giant glowing red eyes grew closer. Releasing a huge breath she began her chase again, doing what she could to try to avoid any obstacles that wished to bar her path. She still had her bag because if she didn't then no one would survive. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she ran toward her destination. The devastation all around her rang loudly in her ears when she heard the screaming persist. An ominous shadow stood before her and she stopped dead in her tracks, reaching for her weapon - but she couldn't move. The angry red sky cast thunder throughout it but she couldn't move. Drawing in shaky, shallow breaths she watched it moved its hand. The gleam of a blade was made visible but she could not move. An all too familiar sinister laugh sounded in her ears and she tried desperately to reach for her weapon. But still, she couldn't move, could only watch in horror as the blade rose high into the red sky and then strike her down with ease. She screamed but no sound came out as blood poured out of her body. Her legs trembled before they failed her and the ground split apart to swallow her whole. All the while the sinister laugh rang in her ears.

Athenacia drew in a deep breath, opening her eyes with a start and struggling to catch her breath. Immediately she put her hand to her neck, trying desperately to feel for the blood was the spilling out of her, nearly hyperventilating as her eyes had trouble focusing.

"Doc!"

The girl grunted as she smashed her knees against the dash of her truck, still unable to wrest her vision from the red sky that haunted her.

"You're okay," she heard Gladiolus's soothing voice shortly after. Athenacia felt him try to reach for her but she jumped as far away as she could, only managing to hit her head on the window, "Doc, you're fine," he tried again. She was still having trouble breathing but slowly the red was fading and she was starting to get an idea of where she was, "I got you, Doc, you're okay," he said again, only offering his hand out to her. The doctor stared at it for a moment, the black ink of the feathers from his tattoo registering in her mind, "Everything is fine," he assured her once more, waiting patiently for her to respond.

"Gladio..." her voice was breathless as she calmed herself down.

"Yeah, it's me. You're okay," his voice was still soft and soothing as he spoke to her.

Athenacia was still breathing a little heavy but her hazel eyes travelled up his arm that only grew in his tattoo and then to his face that would turn to look to her for a brief moment before going back to the road. His hand was still outstretched toward her and she tentatively took it, her own hand shaking as she moved it. The physician let out a sigh of relief once she had made contact with him, knowing that she wasn't dreaming anymore, that this was real. The Shield gently ran this thumb across the back of her hand and she dropped her legs back onto the floor of the truck, heart rate decreasing to normal.

"Come here," said Gladiolus softly, pulling her hand slightly toward him.

The girl complied, moving closer to where he was sitting in the driver seat while he released her hand and placed his arm over her shoulders, pulling her against him. Gladio could feel the unmistakable quiver of her body when she began to sob as her right hand came to relax against his chest beside her head. He only held her tightly, a frown on his face as he kept his focus on the road before him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered against him.

Keeping a thoughtful frown on his face, he pulled her tighter against him, trying to assure her she had nothing to apologize for.

"Iris says you wake up all the time."

"Bless her, she pretends not to notice. I was afraid I'd wake her up."

"She's worried. We all are."

"You don't have to. It'll fade... eventually."

"Tell me about it," he replied gently.

She shook her head, "I can't... I..."

"You can tell me about it, Doc. You don't gotta do this alone."

Fresh tears welled into her eyes, "I can't, please don't make me," her voice was so broken and she shook slightly as more tears fell down her cheeks and soaked his shirt.

"No one's going to make you do anything," he assured her gently, "But you can't keep carrying this around. You can tell me, Doc, I'm not going anywhere."

"No, I-"

"It doesn't have to be right now."

Athenacia tensed, looking up at him and noting the focused look on his face. There was something calming about it, making her feel that she would one day heal from all the damage done to her and that she truly didn't have to do it alone. The doctor tore her gaze away and shut her eyes tightly, trying to contain the tears that came out. It seemed all she ever did was cry.

"When you're ready, I'll be here," he said finally, pulling her close again.

The girl brought her hand to wipe her tears, lifting her head and ended up meeting the junction of his neck beneath his jaw with her lips, planting a kiss there softly before pulling her head back away.

"Thank you," she replied.

She felt him nod, "Or if you want we can turn the truck around and head down that dirt road I saw not too far from here," he gave her a wolfish grin.

Instantly heat rose to her cheeks as her heart rate increased slightly.

"Gladio!"

However, she was only met with the sounds of his laughter.

The drive continued as mid-afternoon reached them. It wasn't much quieter after she had woken up. After he had managed to lighten up the mood from her nightmare he kept up his merciless teasing of her, making her face turn deep red but keeping a smile on her face. Eventually, it died down and she was back to lying down with a small pillow against him. While Athenacia didn't plan on going back to sleep, she wasn't interested in sitting up either and she had a much better view of the sky through the windshield like this. Gladio kept his arm around her, his fingers intertwined with her left hand. In the end, she was happy that he insisted on driving her truck and that Ignis had stopped her from leaving them in the first place.

Athenacia felt the ground shake and instantly shot up, releasing Gladiolus's hand. Eyes widened in shock as she saw the biggest flying fortress begin to make its way overhead. It took up the entire sky, flying pretty low as the engine sounded in her ears. The doctor angled herself to have a better look when it was directly overhead before it continued on its journey. Her mouth was agape, still in disbelief at what she was seeing.

"What is that?" she asked suddenly, looking over at him.

"Trouble," was his only reply, a frown upon his face.

...

Gladiolus followed the Regalia into Old Lestallum, pulling the truck up into a parking spot and turning the engine off before opening the door. Athenacia also vacated the truck, her eyes still looking off into the distance where that fortress had landed. Frowning, she followed him toward the others that were also getting out of the car. Iris had a worried look on her face and that told the young doctor exactly what she needed to know. They were going to go after it. Noctis had a hard look, his hatred for anything to do with the Empire completely evident. Prompto was similarly angry and Ignis was as calm and collected as he always was.

"You saw it?" said Gladiolus as they approached.

"Hard to miss," replied Prompto.

"Taking matters into hand?" inquired Ignis.

"Delivering justice for Jared," said Noctis darkly.

"And for Talcott too," added Prompto firmly.

Gladiolus nodded, "Iris, I'll need you to wait here," he said, looking at his sister.

"Alright," she agreed in a small voice.

"I'm going with you," stated Athenacia before he could tell her to stay.

"No you're not," he replied.

"Yes, I am. I deserve justice to and I can deliver it myself."

"You're in no shape to fight. You're staying here with Iris."

Athenacia narrowed her eyes, "I don't remember needing your permission to do anything," her voice had an edge to it, "In fact, I am a grown woman and I make my own decisions and I am going to that fort. Now you can either take me with you and make my life easier, or I'll just find my own way there because I've run plenty of ops on enemy bases by myself. Clearly you've all forgotten that I have the most field experience here."

The physician crossed her arms and matched his stare. Gladio was completely unhappy with everything she had to say but she was not going to back down. While she was well aware that he had the power to stop her from going, she also knew that would require him to sit this out as well. And she knew that he couldn't do that with Noctis going in. He had to be there. Besides, she had her own agenda anyway, no intention of hindering his duty.

Gladiolus was looking for any excuse to keep her here with his sister but he knew that nothing would be good enough to convince her. It was clear that she had already made up her mind, however, she was still healing, not thinking straight. The Shield didn't want to have to worry about her in all the commotion, he had a duty to focus on. Still, she had said herself she was going to find her own way there, which meant she would be gone as soon as he turned his back no matter if he got her to agree or not. The purple left eye and the cut on her cheek only reminded him of the pain delivered to her from the Empire in order to protect Iris and he didn't want to see that again.

_A weak shield protects naught._

Again the words of Ravus Nox Fleuret taunted his mind as he kept his gaze on her unrelenting stare. Gladio didn't even know if she could fight or if she was just pushing herself in order to seek her own revenge. That sort of mentality was not the type that belonged in combat and from what he knew of her training, she should know that as well. There was no way to actually tell her that without starting a huge commotion. How did Cor manage to get her to listen to anything anyway?

"Given the circumstances," began Ignis gently, "We could use a medic in the field."

Neither of them spoke. They held their ground against each other as the people around them held their breath, waiting for the staring match to end. Who would relent first? Iris was shocked that it was her brother. Usually, he was stubborn to the point that there was no budging with him, however, he growled, tearing his gaze away and crossing his arms over his chest. The Shield was not happy with the reality of what was going on. He was worried about Athenacia, anyone could see that.

"Medic only, you stay away from the fighting," conceded Gladiolus finally, not even bothering to look at her.

"I'll agree to that only on one condition," said Athenacia darkly.

"What?" he growled.

"If Caligo is in there, he's mine."

Gladiolus was struck by the malice written in her voice, the hatred strewn on her features, unable to recall that sort of look on her before but now he had an answer as to who had done this to her. If she was looking for vengeance well, so was he and she would have to beat him to it because he had every intention of killing the man himself. No one said anything after that so she took that as an agreement. Athenacia walked back to her truck, noting she was being tailed by Iris. The young Amicitia obviously had something to say about what happened back there and didn't want to do so in front of the others. The doctor sighed quietly to herself. Now wasn't the time for something like this and she had no idea how to say so without coming off as a complete bitch. Stopping at her ugly truck, she proceeded as if there was no one there, grabbing her things and putting them onto the seat in order to prepare.

"You don't have to go," said Iris gently.

"Yes I do," replied Athenacia without looking at the young girl.

"He's just going to worry."

She shrugged, "I'm not fighting, remember?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just let them handle it?"

"No, I have to do this."

"Why?"

The physician sighed again, unsheathing her weapon about halfway to test the edge. The gladius was still sharp enough and she replaced it back, "Because I couldn't protect Jared either," she began, unzipping her med bag, "Gin almost got killed," she rummaged through everything to make sure it was all in place, "And then they were going to take you," she zipped her bag back up and took hold of it.

Keeping a firm grip on the bag and on her sheathed blade before slamming the door of the truck shut, she looked over at Iris, an unrecognizable look on her face as she tried to form the words properly.

"What they did, what  _he_  did, was inexcusable. I will not sit idly by while that man still wanders this world and continues to hurt good and innocent people. Your brother is right I am probably in no shape to fight. But I don't have to, I only have one target to hit and then I can sit back and maybe try to rest easy for once."

Iris listened to her words intently before finally giving up her own pleading face. This woman before her had saved her life twice, she owed her a lot, however, she, like her brother, didn't want to have to worry about not coming back. There was no way she could stop Noctis and the others but she was hoping there was a way to get through to Athenacia at least - only to no avail, she was as much stubborn as Gladiolus. Figures. In the end, she could only nod as the two of them walked back to the Regalia.

...

"Looks the same as before," noted Prompto.

The five of them pulled up in the Regalia just as the sun was beginning its descent beyond the horizon. The car ride itself had been pretty tense but not overly hostile despite having to sit next to Gladiolus the entire time. Athenacia didn't have anything to say anyway, was just focused on trying to sort through her thoughts and keep her mind on one thing. Her vengeance. The girl pointedly got out of the car on Noctis's side, bringing with her the medic bag and her weapon. Placing her bag on the ground, she leaned against the car.

"Looks can be deceiving," reminded Ignis.

"We beat 'em once. They won't make it easy this time," warned Gladiolus.

Athenacia strapped her weapon to her back, wincing slightly as it was pressed against the wound on her scapula. That one had started to scab over but the fabric of her shirt didn't feel good against it and she would have to remember to cover it up for future trips.

"And neither will we," said Noctis.

The girl picked up her med bag, pulling it over her shoulders and securing it against her back, feeling the Shield's stare upon her and ignoring it. The man wasn't so much eyeing her, more so the gear she had on.

"I don't plan on picking a fight, but I'm definitely not going in there unarmed," she said, her tone still defensive.

Gladio turned over her words in his head, trying to find fault in them, but in the end, he could only agree with her, nodding once as he turned to follow Noctis. Athenacia fell in step with Prompto as she kept her eyes and ears alert of enemy noise. The outside of the fort had dreadnaughts landed and a big fence around it. There was a blockade at the road that any car could just drive through and damage - though none were foolish enough to even try it. They walked past it and she noted that lights on their chests turned on. The doctor generally liked the idea of creeping around in the dark but she stayed close to Prompto as they pressed forward.

"You think Iris is doing alright?" asked Prompto.

"She is all alone," said Ignis.

"She's a big girl. She'll be fine," replied Gladiolus.

Athenacia's sensitive ears caught the sounds of MagiTek troopers not far away. They were getting closer to the outside guard and she really wished that they didn't have those lights signalling that there were enemy forces within, however, she was observing the fighting not actually participating. They walked beside a docked dreadnaught and she made sure it was completely empty before turning her gaze elsewhere. These guys seemed to a little more calmer than they should be for planning on infiltrating an Imperial base, but they were comparing it to the last one. Surely they didn't mean the puny one that she was taken to.

"Iris isn't exactly a 'bring 'em on' backstreet brawler, is she?" asked Prompto

Someone was in love, however, Athenacia had seen the poor boy fall in love about six to eight times a day. The blond was playing with fire inquiring about Iris like that. The doctor wondered if the Shield had picked up on it or not, though anyone that knew her well enough had the knowledge that she only had eyes for Noctis. Poor girl.

"She's tough but I'd feel better if we got this over with and got back on the road," replied Gladiolus.

Truth be told, so would she, but that was when all the talking stopped and the action started. Athenacia watched as weapons materialized in their hands and Noctis warped to the first Imperial trooper, nearly killing it with one strike. A wave of nausea hit her watching him do so but there was no time to focus on that. The physician heard the crack of gunfire and her eyes instantly darted toward the sound. It was Prompto, hitting his target expertly while Ignis finished it off with a blur of arms containing his daggers in hand. Gladiolus swung his massive greatsword once, felling a trooper near him before making his way over to Noctis.

Athenacia heard something behind her, instinctively reaching for her weapon but a dagger came speeding by her face and hitting the trooper before it had a chance to execute its attack. It was down and she watched the dagger glow blue before disappearing. When she turned to look she was only met with a smug look from Ignis. Oh, he was sharp. The first wave of troopers were down and she walked to them, trying to get a quick look to see if her skills were needed. The girl was happy that they weren't so she followed the others further into the base. Not to her surprise, there were more enemies about while she kept to the shadows as she observed the fights from her vantage point. They were good, for not having as much field experience as her but then, it had been a long time since she fought, however, she truly had to commend them for the work they did. It wasn't just one person fighting, they all held their own in liquid motions. All that training they had done really paid off even if they weren't exactly field ready yet. Athenacia felt better about infiltrating the base, knowing that she truly wouldn't have to draw her weapon.

As the last of the outside patrol was cleared they had finally made it to the vantage point Ignis had been looking for all along. The physician followed behind Noctis with Prompto taking up the rear all the way up the steps and into the tallest lookout tower on the outside of the walls. It was good that no more troopers had come to bar their path, allowing them a good view of the base and a chance to make a plan. Peering over the railing at the actual base, she noted there was a red light coming up from the middle and she knew instantly that it was a generator. Take that out and nothing would function inside at all. The lights weren't as bright as she had hoped and that made things a little harder to see, however, there were enough troopers in there to pose a problem. That wasn't even counting the actual human soldiers either. The decision to come was in her best interest, a chance to get some answers. Maybe if she could find out what the Chancellor wanted with her she could put an end to him chasing her.

"So what's our plan?" asked Noctis.

Athenacia turned around, noting they were all staring at Ignis.

"Find the base commander and take him into custody," replied Ignis confidently, "Targeting metal men will yield little in the way of reconnaissance but bones bend easily," oh she liked the way he was thinking, "We'll split into two groups of three and two. Prompto and Gladio will generate a diversion."

"Aw yeah, making a scene is what I do best," said Prompto proudly.

She couldn't help but smile at him.

"In compliance with all our wishes, Dr. Virum will accompany myself and Noct."

Athenacia didn't say anything, knowing that's the side she would have chosen anyway. Gladiolus led the descent back down the tower and she fell in beside Ignis this time. Once they reached the bottom he turned toward her, a little unhappy about the circumstances but not trusted that Ignis knew what he was doing. The medic looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak.

"Watch your backs," he said finally in his gruff voice.

"You as well," replied Ignis.

They parted ways then, Athenacia watching them go until they rounded the corner and could no longer be seen. Then, she followed the other two men, her face hardening as she thought about the vengeance that she was going to get after what was done to her.


	37. 632

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!

Athenacia stayed on quiet feet as she followed Ignis and Noctis into the base. The dark night sky had helped shield them away from any enemies, and Ignis had the Prince utilize his warp kill technique in order for them to get further. They stayed on the outer wall as they observed in order to find their person of interest, the doctor keeping a scowl on her face while she scouted slightly ahead of them. Her weapon was still sheathed, mostly as a sign of good faith that she really wasn't looking for a fight. She was sure Ignis wasn't going to let her bother with it unless absolutely necessary. Besides, she didn't bring everything she needed to full out battle anyway, just her gladius for defence if needed. But she was hoping that it would only taste the blood of her enemy.

The three of them crept into the shadows without making a sound. There were troopers patrolling but they had no issues getting around them. Most of the machinery was inactive, though ready to go at a moments notice. They were careful to stay out of sight of anything that would pose a threat. Athenacia kept her eyes out for anyone or anything she could, knowing that they were looking for the one in charge, still mostly in the lead but didn't stray too far. The last thing she needed was for them to burst into hostility before the diversion was in place. As she rounded a corner and brought herself up against a tank, she stopped dead in her tracks. There was someone coming out of the compound, flanked by two Imperial troopers. The girl hissed a breath to herself as they finally found the man she was hoping to see. An unbearable rage seared through her body as she laid her eyes on Caligo. The images of what he did to her a week ago were fresh in her mind and her nostrils flared with every hit she took. Athenacia felt a hand clasp around her right forearm firmly but she didn't tear her hateful gaze away from her target. This was who they were looking for anyway and she was going to be the one to kill him, one way or another. Her right arm twitched and she felt the person holding it squeeze tighter. Looking over, she saw Ignis watch them with a stern look on his face.

"The insolence of that up-jumped mercenary," said Caligo in distaste as he walked in between two of his men, "And there is still no word. This cannot be borne. Such behaviour besmirches his Radiance's good name."

"That's our target," said Ignis quietly, "Let's follow him," he looked pointedly at her.

Athenacia nodded once, slowly, before he released the grip upon her. He then led the way behind one of the tanks, keeping to the shadows. Noctis was next in line and then she followed on noiseless feet. Caligo was stopped in front of a gate, troopers all around him. There would be no way to get to him without drawing attention to themselves and she definitely didn't want that.

"Seize him on my signal," instructed Ignis, "Stay hidden until then."

The three of them crept up behind one of the tanks, faced with the back of their enemy and the two troopers on his either side. Immediately she looked for threats and an exit plan as she was trained. There would be no way to attack just yet, however, she saw that everyone had put a lot of trust into Ignis and she supposed there was no harm in doing so either. So she waited impatiently but wasn't going to jeopardize any of them. Caligo was on the move, going through the gate that opened up for him. Ignis tapped her shoulder gently and she followed him behind a watch tower and dumpster, keeping out of sight.

"What is that Chancellor playing at?" said Caligo in disgust. The physician tensed at the word, something that didn't go unnoticed by Ignis, "I'm no man's fool. He sent Highwind to watch me."

Highwind? Athenacia knew that name but she didn't have time to try and figure it out. Ignis pointed at one of the guards barring their path to keep up with Caligo. Noctis warped, instantly killing the trooper. Nausea bubbled within her after watching that, shaking it off so she could focus. They continued through the gate, staying in the shadows. At this point Noctis was on his own but not straying too far away from them, keeping watch from high up and eliminating any threat they might encounter. It was relieving to know that she didn't have to see it anymore. Ignis stayed close to her, seemingly ready to stop her from any rash behaviour. How little faith he really had.

"It's no mere coincidence she and I meet everywhere I go," Caligo was still whining, "Claims to 'trust her as a person'. Hollow words from the mind behind the MagiTek movement."

The doctor frowned at his words. What did that mean? Was the Chancellor directly involved with MagiTek troops? So why was he so hell-bent on her DNA? Or anything to do with her exactly? She needed answers and she needed them now. Whether Caligo had them or not, he was going to die by her hand. They kept following him, Athenacia really surprised at the amount of darkness inside of the base. Weren't they afraid of their own daemons? Caligo came to another gate, stopping and she caught sight of Noctis above, waiting.

"I may have acted in haste with that impudent steward back in Lestallum. But my mission remains clear. And I'll be damned if that mercenary gets her grubby hands on 632 and the Prince before Caligo Ulldor."

He didn't seem so interested in the Prince when he was drilling a hole into her shin. Athenacia tensed up, remembering the pain as the cut began to burn. Ignis again placed his hand firmly on her left forearm this time, pulling her forward. Noctis cleared the path for them as they had no choice but to step into the light. He brought her back to the shadows and she shook her arm free, unable to get a chance to see his disapproval before ducking down and creeping up on noiseless feet toward her target. The girl wasn't going to get him right away, she would wait for when he was stopped at yet another gate.

"I'll give Highwind one last chance to respond. Stand guard here. If the Commodore arrives, send her through," commanded Caligo to the troopers that were following him.

Athenacia watched as he left through the darkened gate. Noctis again took care of the troopers and the three of them followed. The Prince warped away and Ignis held his arm out. It would happen soon, this was their best opportunity. The girl kept her eyes on her target as the seconds slowed down painfully. Caligo kept walking and she tailed his every step with Ignis at her side. They hit another dark patch and Noctis was there at their side. Caligo stopped a moment before carefully continuing his journey.

"Now's your chance, Noct. Close in from behind," whispered Ignis, "And remember, we need him alive."

"Don't worry," Noctis assured his friend.

Athenacia held her breath as she waited. In the blink of an eye, Noctis was gone and she fought off another wave of nausea. Until she snapped out of it to see Caligo down and Noctis standing over him. Was she ever lucky he was her friend. Ignis stepped out of the shadows to stand beside him and she also slowly crept into the light with her eyes blazing down on her enemy.

"You're in fine form, keep it up," complimented Ignis.

Her nostrils flared as she imagined all the different ways she was going to make Caligo pay for hurting her. Not before she got some answers, however, now she just had to find a way to get rid of Ignis without arousing more suspicion out of him than she already had. But she didn't have a moment to consider it, the ground shook and she saw sparks of an explosion in the distance.

"Looks like they've set to work," said Ignis approvingly, looking over at Noctis, "We'll escort him off the base, you regroup with the others."

The Prince nodded, leaving them to it. Athenacia looked over at Ignis curiously, wondering how he thought the two of them were going to do this without being seen. From the sounds of things, reinforcements were coming with some Highwind person that she could swear she knew from somewhere. Again, no time to think about it. Athenacia carefully grabbed onto the right arm of the unconscious Caligo and lifted him with the help of Ignis on the other side. They dragged him with his feet on the ground out of the light and back into the shadows. Truth be told she'd rather drag him by his feet face down so that he could feel more pain but somehow she thought that Ignis wouldn't have approved of such an action. The girl was pretty convinced that the only reason he agreed for her to come with them was so that he could keep an eye on her. Let him, but she was not going to give him any sort of reason to question her about things he was better off not knowing. If Cor didn't explain what happened in that base then that meant her mouth had to stay shut as well. Besides, trying to explain something like that was absolutely insane.

They came toward the edge of the base, all the forces running to the commotion created by Gladiolus and Prompto. Figures they'd use an explosion. Typical boys. It was the best way to get someone's attention, that she couldn't deny. Athenacia kept her attention on anything else that might block them from getting out of the base. Dragging Caligo's dead weight was not something she was really into but she had to do some work in order to get what she wanted. As they slipped through one of the exits they were met with a hunter waiting for them. Ignis thought of everything it seemed.

The hunter bound Caligo's wrists behind his back while Athenacia stood behind Ignis a few feet as she observed. Caligo was beginning to stir. Just in time. Ignis materialized his daggers in his hand and she watched carefully for any movement. Their enemy stood before them, assessing his situation. The hunter was a rather large man like Gladiolus, towering over Caligo, and didn't look like a man that spoke much. The shine of his dog tags was clearly visible and he kept his arms crossed. Caligo didn't seem to notice him, locking eyes with her and smiling in amusement. That fueled a whole other set of rage to course through her. Here he was at her mercy and he had the nerve to smile at her like he's the one who was winning right now? Athenacia growled, swiftly ripping the dagger from Ignis's hand and jamming it between the fifth and sixth rib. He grunted in pain and she only twisted the blade with flat hazel eyes boring into him. When she felt the weapon disappear from her hand, it took a momentary flash of blue before she glared at Ignis. Not like it mattered, she had her own weapon if she needed it.

"Come for your revenge have you?" Caligo spat at her.

Athenacia dug her fingers into the wound she had inflicted upon him, allowing another grunt of pain and his warm blood spilled onto her arm, soaking the end of her sleeve. His eyes found her gaze once more and he was actually struck by the way she was looking at him. The agony he felt was relishing in her ears. If she had ever hated someone before she was sure that was what she was currently feeling. This monster wouldn't leave here alive tonight, she was dead set on it. There was only one more problem she had to deal with, it was standing right behind her and she had no idea how she was going to get rid of him. Caligo was about to open his mouth but she silenced him by squeezing the flesh she was holding, another at her actions.

"You don't get to speak yet," her voice was cold, "But you can take comfort in knowing one thing and one thing only. You will tell me what the Empire is up to. You will pay for the crimes you have committed. You will regret what you have done to me and everyone else you have hurt, because I  _am_  a doctor, and I know many different ways to make you feel unbearable pain. I can prolong your life as long as I like while you waste away every minute in pure agony. I will keep your mind active and your body paralyzed to feel everything you deserve. The rest of your pathetic and meaningless life will be left in anguish. You'll beg me for death, for even a minute of relief and it will never come. You will cease to exist in the minds of others while you rot away with your own misery. I promise you that."

Ignis felt goosebumps form on his arms at her words, making a mental note not to push her too far and activate this side of her. No one knew exactly what had happened to her when she was in his custody a week ago. The Adviser treated those wounds that were still healing, only really remembered the drill hole and he wasn't going to stop her from inflicting pain, she deserved some sort of vengeance. While he wouldn't let her get too far ahead of herself, his attention was drawn away when he saw another explosion in the distance. His instinct told him to leave, to find the others and assist.

"Go," she said in that same flat voice, "They need you."

Ignis hesitated. Athenacia was safer here on the outside, but he was reluctant to leave her with the enemy. There was no way to disarm her in case something did happen where she would need to defend herself. Would she truly kill a man in custody after she extracted the information? Still, he had a duty to the Prince and in the end, he knew he was better off going to ensure that the others were safe.

"Do try to control yourself," he said gently.

Athenacia heard his footsteps as he left the area. When she turned to look, he was ducking back inside the base. Once he was out of sight she brought her gaze towards the hunter that was towering behind Caligo. The girl met his eyes, jerking her head slightly to dismiss him. Nodding once, he moved from the area, out of earshot. Perfect, now she could get some answers as to what was going on.

"We're going to have nice chat," she said almost sweetly, "About the Chancellor and what he wants with me."

Caligo laughed, "The likes of you aren't worth my time."

The physician unsheathed her weapon with her bloodied hand, "Do you see this?" she brandished the gladius in front of his face, "Do you see that hook on the end? It's designed to pull out your insides on its way out, making it hurt far more coming out than it does going in."

There was a flicker of fear in his eyes, brief before he hardened himself once more. Obviously, he hadn't been listening to her. Perhaps someone had punctured both of his tympanic membranes a few too many times. Despite the situation he was in, he seemed to think that he was still winning. Well, she was going to have to show him otherwise. It always gave her pleasure when people underestimated her.

"Do your worst," he spat.

She was hoping he would say something stupid like that, "You're the boss," she smiled.

Athenacia grazed her gladius against the back of his left calf, pushing the blade through his armour and digging into his skin hook first until she felt the back of the fibula. Caligo was grunting at the pain, but that wasn't good enough for her. The doctor twisted the blade slightly within him, trying to gather everything she could from the inside. She wanted him to feel pain, to take her seriously. She wanted him to suffer the way she had under his power. She wanted him to know exactly who he was dealing with and why he should fear her. She wanted him to feel the pain that others felt under his tyranny, and she was going to deliver that, making it as slow as possible. Athenacia then ripped her weapon out, bringing with her shredded muscle, hamstrings and ripping out his nerve endings. An inhuman cry echoed through the air as he dropped to his knees, unable to stand with the pain she had caused him. Walking around slowly to look at him, she wiped her weapon against his face, the innards of his calf dropping at his knees. There was a hard glare on her face and she brought the blade to rest just under his chin, forcing him to look up. Athenacia saw another flicker of fear in his eyes. Finally, she had gotten his attention. Running her gladius along his neck, she watched in sick satisfaction at the trickle of blood that fell with it and the agony across his face.

"Shall I show you the shape of your heart?" she cocked her head, "Or maybe we should figure out what your last meal was," she held the bloodied gladius against his abdomen.

The girl waited a little impatiently for him to answer, still staring at her in hate despite that his agony from the wound she had inflicted upon him. There was no way she was leaving here without some answers. He obviously had them, why else would he have been there with the Chancellor? Why else would he have relished in the pain he was causing her? They knew she wasn't Iris Amicitia and she was sure that it was a trap to lure her out. Seemed that her being on the run made her able to elude everyone that was chasing her, friend and foe alike. The Chancellor wanted something from her and until she knew what, she was not going to rest easy at night. Caligo was still staring at her with that same stupid look on his face and she huffed slightly in amusement. Athenacia would break him because he was not nearly as strong as he thought he was. She pushed the blade harder against the soft flesh of his abdomen, running it down until she found the stomach. Positioning it so that it would rip out his intestines as well, she thought about using them to choke him. The big one would provide a way to take away the air from his lungs without breaking if she was careful enough. Now that was one way to go. Smiling, she pushed harder, drawing blood and getting ready to execute the new idea that formed in her mind.

"I don't know what he wants!" said Caligo finally through hissed teeth.

Athenacia smiled in disgust at him. He was easier to break than she was hoping, wishing to tear away more of his flesh but she relished in the fact that he was the coward she had previously thought. Was all fine while he had an army at his back but the minute he was defenceless his spine left his body and he became nearly submissive. The doctor wasn't exactly sure how much time she had before reinforcements showed up anyway.

"Why did he take my blood?"

"You'd have to ask him. Making more of you is a waste of our resources. You're just a failed experiment, I don't even know why we're wasting our time trying to catch you! I'm the one who will deliver the Prince to the Emperor!"

She grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall, "What does that mean?!"

He only laughed at her, "You don't even know who you really are. The true purpose that brought you into this world."

"Tell me!"

"He can't tell you," said another voice from behind her.

Athenacia whipped around, dropping Caligo and hearing him grunt as he fell to the ground. What she was met with were the evil amber eyes of the Chancellor. Fear gripped her heart as anxiety pulsed through her body, however, she didn't let it show, refusing to let him have that satisfaction.

"He only knows to apprehend you," said Ardyn smiling at her.

The girl kept the point low of her gladius, unhappy that she wasn't prepared for a fight. Stupid, she should have known better. Athenacia could only glare at the man that had continued to make her life difficult since the fall of the city. Now it seemed that if she wanted any answers, he was the one who had them and this time she wouldn't miss.

"What did he mean? Make more of me?" she asked him, her grip tight on her weapon.

"My dear, that man doesn't know a thing about you. One cannot simply create something as spectacular as you. Your mother saw to that when you were born. Terrible waste all those collected samples from you," he responded in a light tone with his thick accent.

"My mother..." her defences dropped slightly.

Ardyn laughed a little, "Did the Immortal not tell you?"

"He told me that she gave me to him before she was killed by Imperial forces," she spoke the words in disgust.

"Is that what he said? Well, part of that is true. But your mother is not dead I can assure you of that."

"What?" her eyes widened.

"Ah yes, she's very much alive and well."

"How would you know?" she growled, back in her defence mode.

"Do you wish to see her?"

Athenacia took in a deep breath from between clenched teeth, left arm that was up shaking a little at the words she was hearing. Her entire life she had just known that her parents were dead and she never asked about them because she couldn't care about people that didn't want her. Until she came back from her last battle and Cor had told her how she came to be in the orphanage, but she didn't know the woman and would never be able to ask why she was placed in Insomnian care. As she understood it, there was nothing Cor could do to stop the attack, could only try to protect the child. Why would Cor lie to her? He didn't, never had her entire life.

"No, you're lying," she said vehemently between clenched teeth, looking down at his feet.

"Would I do that?" his smile grew.

"You would. You've been chasing me all around this damn country and for what?! Who even are you?!"

"Today, my dear, I am your answer. Do try to think of everything the Immortal told you."

She shook her head, "No..." there was no substance to her voice.

Athenacia saw images of herself in the throne room with Cor, King Regis and Clarus Amicitia shortly after her last battle. They were informing her of her origins, of how she came to be in the city. Of why she had produced that azure glow.

"No," she said it louder as tears formed in her eyes.

Tensing, she looked up angrily at him. It wasn't true, it just couldn't be. The words reverberated in her head as the memories washed over her. Everything that they told her and why they had kept it from her. No, it wasn't true. They didn't know anything and neither did this man. It couldn't be, he was just trying to get inside of her head. She wouldn't let him toy with her anymore.

"NO!" she screamed, taking the first steps toward him.

Athenacia was getting ready for her attack but he only grinned wider before clicking a button on his wrist. Stopping, she screamed as pain exploded through her head. It began at the back, just behind her right ear and then spread like electricity all throughout her body. Dropping her weapon, she brought her hand to her head in an attempt to stop the pain. In a poor attempt she tried to summon her magic but it seemed to be dismissed. The pain increased, as did the sound of her scream and then she felt herself losing grip on her consciousness. She fell to the ground, unable to support her own weight as she grunted. The world around her was going black and she wished that she was able to fight it off. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was the evil amber eyes and smile of her enemy.


	38. Magic Malfunction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!

"Hey!"

Athenacia groaned at the voice, drawing in a breath and wincing as she moved her head. A bloodied hand was brought to the back of her head behind her right ear where pain pulsed from that origin. There was nothing there, no sort of wound to be found at all. The girl began to concentrate on that spot, wanting to summon her magic, however, only succeeded in agitating whatever was happening back there. Athenacia tried again, searching for something that might indicate why she was feeling so much pain. Again her magic would not work, only increased the pain with its malfunction and making her cry out as it did so, stopping before she ended up nearly passing out again. Hazel hues opened wide in shock shortly after. Looking down at her hands, she couldn't figure out why the golden lights did not appear, why she was unable to heal herself. Why her magic was only hindering her instead of helping like it was supposed to.

"You okay?"

The physician shot up quickly at the voice but only ended up crying out in pain. Turning over, she vomited with the nausea that built up from the sudden movement. Groaning, she wiped away the bile from her chin and then looked again at the person standing before it. It was the large, bald hunter, towering over her from where she was on the ground. He was looking at her curiously as she tried to figure out where she was and what was going on. When she did finally catch her breath, she recalled the reason she was on the ground in the first place. Athenacia whipped her head around again to find any trace of her enemies but only ended up vomiting once more in the same spot. Ardyn and Caligo were obviously nowhere present and they had left her here.

The hunter offered his hand out to her and she took it with her clean one, standing up slowly and trying to keep her stomach acid inside of her. At a much slower pace, she was able to look around and noted that it was still night time. There were airships taking off, making a full retreat. What did that mean for the others? Athenacia searched for her weapon on the ground, again keeping herself to small movements. A shine in her peripherals brought her a few paces from where she stood. Carefully, she used her foot to lift it up slightly by the small handle, grabbing it and keeping her body as level as possible. The blood on her hand was drying, almost crusting with her every movement. The innards of Caligo's calf were still gleaming in the moonlight on her blade. Wincing, she pulled out a cloth from the bag on her back and wiping it off carefully before sheathing it. Frowning, she sighed at her own failure, walking toward him to figure out what was going on and if there was a way for her to contact the others. All the ships had vacated, the red light that was hailing toward the heavens no longer visible. Hopefully they were successful.

"What happened?" she asked the hunter as she approached him.

"Prisoner escaped with that man that attacked you," he shrugged, "I didn't get back in time to stop them, but he did leave you this."

The hunter held out his hand to her and she reached out with a frown on her face, wondering what this could be now. He placed a piece of paper and something a little heavier in her hand. Athenacia looked at the items curiously, her heart thumping in her chest. The object was a silver pendant, circular and hollowed out in the middle, almost as if it were missing a piece of it. There was an inscription inside of it but wasn't in a language that she recognized off hand, having trouble seeing it clearly and would have to magnify it in order to know what she was looking at exactly. Peering at the same style as the last one she received from Ardyn.

_Find me if you wish to know the truth. Until next time my dear._

Athenacia glared at the words, tensing as she heard his voice in her head. Her hand shook slightly and drew her attention back toward the chain in her hands. More of his games, attempts to get in her head. Was her mother really alive? No, she couldn't believe anything he was saying. This was a trap, another step to an ending that she could hardly comprehend. Ardyn could have taken her tonight if he needed her that much but he didn't, instead, he left her with a head full of questions. Nothing about what happened made any sense to her whatsoever. Now more than ever, she wished she had her phone or even another one in order to get a hold of Cor, he would know what to do.

"Your friends said to meet them at the car," said the hunter suddenly.

She jumped at his words but recovered herself quickly, still feeling nauseous from the pain in the back of her head, "Thank you," she replied suddenly.

The man nodded once at her before parting ways with him. Athenacia quickly crammed that note in her pocket with the pendant and tried to put it far from her mind. How was she supposed to tell anyone what happened with Caligo? At least they were safe, they had won the battle here. It was all she could really hope for in the end anyway. Walking at a much slower pace than she would have liked, she winced when she had to move her head. The pain was fading away slowly and she was hoping that at this rate it would be gone with a bit of a rest. She had no idea why her magic only agitated it instead of healing it.

Athenacia stopped in her tracks then, looking for a minor wound. The bruising on her knuckles from striking Gladiolus was the first thing she saw, running her left hand over the bloodied contusion and summoning her powers. Wincing, there was minor pain in her head but eventually, she breathed a sigh of relief when the golden lights swirled around her knuckles. So her magic wasn't disabled, just unable to repair whatever sort of damage had happened behind her ear. Again she prodded at it gently as she began to walk. There was still no physical sign of an injury but she'd have to take a better look in a mirror for any contusions. Athenacia finally reached the street, looking up and down for a blur that might be a car. Wasn't exactly easy to find a black car in the middle of the night however her internal compass told her which way to go. Daemons were sprouting all around the darkness and she remained on the street. Voices in the distance told her she was closing in on the Regalia. Relief swept through her once she saw the silhouettes of the four men waiting for her. They hadn't seen her yet, she was still creeping on silent feet. Taking one last moment, she swayed her head in order to gauge the motion sickness for her upcoming drive back to Old Lestallum.

"Doc!" she heard Gladiolus call to her.

The large man was running toward her and she kept up her pace smiling slightly when he came to stand in front of her. Craning her neck, it was hard to see his face fully as he towered over her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'll live," she replied.

"The hunter said you took quite a hit."

"We all do sometimes."

"Dr. Virum, are you injured?" asked Ignis once they had reached the others.

"Just a little groggy from getting smashed in the back of the head," she replied, "No sign of a concussion so it's nothing to worry about."

Ignis nodded, walking towards the car. The physician caught the eye of Gladiolus who was giving her a disdained look. He then jerked his head towards her right arm, looking ready to scold her.

"None of its mine," she assured him quickly, "It's Caligo's."

The Shield grunted at her before leading her towards the Regalia, opening the door for her to get in and she did so carefully, knowing that two sets of eyes were on her. Athenacia was sandwiched in the middle between the Prince and Gladiolus once more before Ignis started the engine and took off. At least he was a smooth driver, she wouldn't have to worry about any of her motion sickness being a problem. Vomiting on either man was definitely something she did not want to do. Instead, she leaned her head gently on the Shield's massive left arm in order to steady the movements of her neck.

...

The drive back to Old Lestallum wasn't a very long one. Athenacia had managed to doze off a bit and noted that whatever pain she couldn't heal with her magic was finally gone. Ignis pulled the Regalia up and parked beside her ugly blue truck while she moved her head to make it look like she was stretching her neck but was actually just testing to see if she would feel nauseous again. Nothing, almost as if it had never happened in the first place. That made relief sweep through her once more, as Gladiolus helped her out of the back of the car. Once the doors were closed she waited for Prompto to step out of the way before opening the door of her truck. Reaching inside, she took a step up, leaning her front side on the seats. Once she had finally taken hold of the strap of her bag, she pulled it up before her and then steadied herself better. When she vacated the spot she was just in, she kept a firm grip on her bag before closing the door. There were eyes on her, making her freeze, turning around to see Gladiolus behind her, regarding her with a smirk on his face, one that made heat rise to her cheeks.

"Enjoy the view?" she asked, trying to regain her composure.

"Sure did. There an encore?" he raised a brow.

"Not for you," she said pointedly, turning to walk away with her head held high.

Athenacia was aware that she gave her hips the extra sway but she was trying to gain the upper hand here. She seemed to forget who she was battling because it didn't work at all. If anything she had just invited him along, squealing as she felt a massive hand caress her right rear cheek. The action caused her to jump and take a few quick steps forward, her face turning a dark shade of crimson before looking back at him in alarm. The Shield was only laughing as he pushed by her and towards the hotel where his sister was waiting. Damn him, one day she was going to get him good.

Iris was down near the entrance of the hotel, appearing to have no intention of going to her room. Ignis dutifully reserved rooms before joining them as they approached. Noctis was in the lead with Prompto at his side. Gladiolus was next in line with Athenacia bringing up the rear, trying to stop her face from showing anymore embarrassment.

"You're back!" said Iris happily, "Did you kick their asses?"

"Oh yeah," replied Noctis proudly.

"All in a day's work," agreed Gladiolus.

They walked down towards their rooms for the night, Athenacia walking into the boy's room with Iris trailing behind her. Turning on all the lights, the physician dropped her clothes bag near the door, composed and shedding her med bag from her back. Lastly, she unhooked her weapon and placed it against the wall, noting the blood on the hilt from her hand and knew she would have to get a better look at it in the light when she returned to her own room. For now, she had business to attend to.

As the others were getting settled in their beds - sans Iris who would be sharing a room with her - Athenacia walked into the bathroom, turning on the light and closing the door quickly behind her. The girl turned on the water instantly, peeling back her sleeve that had some blood on it and ran her skin under the water. The blood of her enemy, it brought back many memories from her past, memories that she was certain she had buried when she left the war. Sighing, her eyes instantly found that purple eye of hers. The cut on her left cheek was scabbing finally and was starting to become itchy. Pulling out the tie in her hair, the braid was untangled before she shoved it over one shoulder, pushing her fingers underneath and pulling it back as far as she could in order to see behind her right ear. It was an awkward angle but so far she couldn't see any signs of a wound. Athenacia probed around with her fingers again and there was still nothing she was missing. At this point, she didn't feel anything pain wise anyway, but she sure remembered how bad it felt.

Frowning, she let her hair go and stopped trying to bend her neck in a way that was humanly impossible. The doctor didn't dare try to summon her magic, just in case it had the same effect, nor did she need anyone rushing in here to figure out what she was doing. Keeping that frown on her face, she pulled out the contents of her pocket, observing the pendant and the note. She crumpled the paper not really caring to read the same words over again but got a better look at the inscription on the pendant. It really wasn't a language that she knew but somehow this thing felt familiar to her. The grooves in it suggested that it was missing a piece, like something belonged inside of it. What was this supposed to mean? Hopefully Cor had more answers.

Putting the necklace back in her pocket, she quickly tied her hair up into a messy bun and exited the bathroom. Picking up her med bag, Athenacia went to the nearest chair turned on the lamp there and placing the bag flat on the ground before crouching down to open it up. Once she had unzipped it, she laid out all her tools and pulled on a set of latex gloves over her hands, stood and turned toward them, scaning the room.

"Who's first?" she asked lightly.

...

Athenacia and Iris were in their own room later on that morning. The young doctor was happy that there were no major wounds to worry about treating, just some bullet grazes, scrapes, minor lacerations and contusions. No one needed serious medical attention and that was the way she preferred things. While she was examining them, they were telling Iris of what happened in the base, on both sides of it. She was sitting beside Noctis on his bed as she listened intently to every word. Athenacia could see the connection each of them shared with one other and smiled as she stood off in the background observing. When they got to the part about the Commodore she stopped listening. Aranea Highwind, a name she thought she'd never hear again. The strange part was, the woman was on the side of the Empire? That didn't fit, not from what she remembered. Rolling to her side, she stared out at the beginning of the sunrise on the horizon. There was no way she was going to sleep tonight, not with all of her thoughts running around in her head. There was no way to silence them because she didn't have the answers that she required in order to do so.

Sometimes she would lie awake at night and then wonder why her parents didn't want her, but it wasn't often. Once Cor had pulled her out of the orphanage she got very busy very quickly. Athenacia didn't much care for people like that anyway, people who didn't consider how a child that didn't ask to be born would feel. Instead she was taught to fight, to try and channel her emotions into battle. One day she found out that her mother had actually died by the Empire's hand, had seen for herself what MagiTek troopers were capable of and decided to fight them - not only for the pain they caused her but for the hundreds of refugees that came to Insomnia as alone as she was. It wasn't fair, wasn't right. They only continued to spread their trail of destruction, and now it seemed they were pulling her back into something she'd really rather not open up.

"Athenacia," she heard the small voice of Iris behind her.

"Yes?" replied the doctor gently.

"Did you kill Caligo?"

Athenacia sighed, rolling onto her back. During the tale of the battle of Fort Vaullerey, no one had mentioned the fate of Caligo. What happened was a disappointment. There seemed to be no justice for anyone that died at the hands of her enemies.

"No," she finally answered.

"Are you going after him?"

It was a good question but she was unsure of what she wanted to do. Right now Athenacia knew that she had to get to Caem to regroup with Cor and figure out her next move. The problem was, the longer she waited around the more time her enemies had to gather their forces. Ardyn knew where she was and what she looked like, she couldn't hide anywhere. That bastard could be watching her right now and she would have no idea given that she couldn't sense his presence whatsoever.

"Not right now," answered Athenacia in that same gentle voice.

Iris didn't say anything but the doctor knew she was still awake. It was the only honest answer that could be given in the current situation. There really was no sense in lying, it wasn't like she planned on staying in Caem the entire time. She was still a target and although it might be a safe house, she just didn't want to risk it.

"But you are going to go at some point?"

Athenacia frowned, "I guess so."

"That's what I thought," replied Iris.

The doctor had no idea where this line of questioning was leading her but she was certain she wasn't going to like it. Was Iris extracting information for her brother? No, Gladiolus would bluntly ask her anything he wanted to know.

"I'm going with you when you do," said Iris firmly.

Athenacia's frown deepened as she looked over at the young Amicitia, unable to make out the face she wore but she knew that tone of voice. It was the sound of someone who made a decision without fully knowing what that meant, a commitment she once had long ago.

"Iris-" began Athenacia gently.

"No, you're right. People like Caligo can't just wander around and hurt others. If you weren't there that night then I... I could have died. Then my brother would have gone after them and he would die and so would a lot of others. I couldn't protect anyone either and that's what my family was born to do so I'm not going to let that happen again. I'll help you because I need to start protecting people too."

Athenacia sighed as she listened to the words. Iris was choosing to fight instead of running and hiding. It was respectable, however, she knew what it was like out there. Smiling, it was evident that Iris Amicitia was even braver than she. Athenacia had given up fighting long ago, never wanted anything to do with it again. Now she was doing it as a last resort, no intentions of revisiting her past. If the Empire had never come to invade Insomnia, she would still be hiding away in her hospital treating patients. The quiet life was something she yearned for again. Finally, she had no choice but to laugh at the words of Iris ringing in her head again.

"You really are Amicitia you know that?" she snickered.

"Through and through," replied Iris proudly.

That caused her to laugh louder, "How could I have missed that when we first met?" she sighed then, "If I decide to go after Caligo, you'll be the first to know," she said finally.

"Do you promise?"

"Sure."

"Thank you!"

"Actually you'll be the only one to know because we'll have to somehow sneak out in the dead of night and put enough distance between us and your brother before he tracks us down, drags back and forces us into a holding cell for the rest of our lives."

Iris laughed at that, knowing full well what she was talking about, "Gladdy can be a bit overprotective sometimes."

"You're his sister. If I had one I'd probably be the same way, maybe even worse," mused Athenacia.

Iris only laughed again, "He's very protective of you too, you know."

"I can take care of myself."

"He knows. But he really likes you."

Athenacia felt a blush creep up to her cheeks, "He also really likes cupped noodles," she was unsure of how to respond.

"I'd say he likes you more than noodles. When you first started dating he had a bounce in his step I've never seen before. He was hardly home but when he was I was barely teased as much. He just wanted to keep you to himself, never letting me tag along to meet you or bring you by our house," Athenacia could hear the smile in the young girl's voice, "He was really worried when the city fell and no one knew where you were. He would have gone looking for you, but..." Iris left it hanging.

Athenacia sighed, "I know," she replied, "I won't let him lose focus on his duty, but at least you were able to let me know that everything was fine with them."

"Why were you hiding anyway?"

The young doctor rolled onto her back, facing the ceiling again. This was something she was trying to avoid completely, had no way to answer it without telling everyone that she was some kind of monster. There was no way to explain what was going on with her and why because she didn't even have any of the answers she needed. Besides, she trusted Cor's reasoning for keeping silent even now and would respect that until the end. The Marshal would have known how anyone would react to what was perceived as the truth just as well as she did - not like she was willing to believe any of it anyway.

"While I was in the city fighting off troopers, I crossed swords with someone I shouldn't have. I hardly remember getting out but I had a nice big target painted on my back. I didn't want to endanger anyone else because of it," explained Athenacia.

It was the truth, not the entire truth but enough she was hoping to suffice. Anyone else who would have seen the azure glow wouldn't know that it came from her. Hell, the only people who had seen her that night were long gone before she had caused it. None of them would have seen what happened that night and they never could. Athenacia waited in silence for Iris to say something. Keeping up this lie would become an issue if it kept being brought up. At least it wasn't Ignis asking. That man was probably going to figure it out long before anyone else the more she was around him.

"I understand," said Iris finally, "But wouldn't it be easier to have some help?"

Athenacia shrugged, "Cor was busy. I had no idea where he was. Your brother and I well... we were on shaky speaking terms. Besides, there was no way I was going to endanger the Prince, he had enough on his plate already. I was uneasy being around you, I didn't want something bad to happen while I was being hunted."

"But you're still being hunted... aren't you?"

"Yeah. As you pointed out though, it's a bit easier when I've got some help."

"You don't plan on staying in Caem then?"

"I don't know. I guess that all depends on when Cor gets there."

Iris was silent. Athenacia knew that the girl was going to try and find reasons for her to stay. She looked over at the window and noted that the sky was getting brighter. Sleep would elude her tonight.

"Get some sleep, while you can," said Athenacia gently, rolling over to face the window and watch the sunrise.


	39. One For His Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and all the lovely words you've left me!

Athenacia had given up on sleeping entirely, knowing she would just end up having a nightmare and waking up Iris, who would probably need all the sleep she could get. After a few twenty minute naps, she decided the sun had risen high enough for her to start getting ready for the day. The doctor threw the blankets off her, rising and padded on her bare feet toward the bathroom, grabbing her clothes bag on the way. The light made her wince after she had shut the door behind her, setting everything down once she reached the sink. Immediately she started the water before peeling off her clothes, letting them fall on the floor and rummaged through her bag, quickly finding her cleaning supplies. Once steam started to pour from the shower she opened the curtain a bit and then stepped through it.

That content sigh escaped her as the scorching water washed over her weary body, lifted her head and running her hands through the tangled red hair, wiping her face as well. Athenacia's wash was extremely thorough, feeling incredibly dirty after her encounter with the Chancellor - much like last time and scrubbing her skin raw in order find some sense of cleanliness. The girl stayed under the water until the pruning of her skin was no longer something she could ignore, regretfully turning off the water and pushed aside the curtain. The healing wounds were still an issue that she wished she could take care of quickly, inhibiting her usual shower rituals with her towel. Another was taken to her hair, drying it off and then wrapping it up in it. When she came to the sink, the one on her frame was pulled aside in order to wipe the steam away and get a good look at herself. She wasn't pretty, her lack of sleep and lingering blemishes making her almost look as if she were far from human. Huffing, it was almost the truth.

The first thing to notice was that purple left eye, helping it fade away even more so that she could stop staring at it. The other one just needed a darker shade beneath it and they would almost be matching. The next obvious mark was the scabbing cut on her cheek, making her frown deeper at the idea of another blemish to taint her. Hazel hues travelled to that scar on her neck, gleaming with her damp skin and forcing her to sigh in disgust. Turning away, she observed the scapula laceration and noted that it was healing at the same rate as her face. At least they no longer had pain with her movements. The drill hold on her shin was by far the worse, taking much longer to heal naturally and always filling her with a near blinding rage. The thought of Caligo made it burn and her hand trembled before her magic was called forth to make it scab over. That was much better. The sooner she couldn't see these wounds the better.

Athenacia rubbed the towel on her head, pulling it off and letting the wet red locks fall down her back. Discarding them both to the ground, she left her image in order to rummage through her bag once more, pulling on her fresh clothes - a white tank top and dark brown shorts - and tried to start the day fresh. The brush ran through her hair with ease, no tangles and she decided on a bun at the back of her head to keep everything out of her face. There was no more need to hide her scar since her enemies appeared to be one step ahead of her. Her bangs clung to her forehead for now, but overall she looked a lot better now than when she had first come in. As satisfied as she could be, she grabbed her clothes and replaced them in the bag, zipping it up before opening the door carefully, noting that Iris was still sleeping soundly. Good. The doctor crept toward her bed on silent feet, grabbing her shoes and everything else before exiting the room carefully. On the plastic furniture outside she put on her shoes, gathering everything in her arms and smiling slightly The warm breeze blew against her skin and she took a deep breath, walking to her truck that looked even uglier parked next to the shiny Regalia.

Grunting, she yanked open the passenger door, cursing that it stuck before placing her weapon, med bag and clothes bag on the floor of the truck. A silver shine caught her eye and she saw the necklace left to her by Ardyn. The physician pulled it out, examining it now in the sunlight. There was nothing really all that different about it and she didn't really like the idea of carrying it around but until she spoke with Cor she didn't really have much of a choice. After he had come to save her from the Empire she wasn't going to keep him in the dark about what was going on with her. The Marshal was the only one who understood her position, appearing to be the only one who knew more about her than she did - the only one that she could trust anyway.

"Hey Doc!"

Athenacia stiffened at hearing Gladiolus's voice, quickly pushing the chain and pendant into her bag before then slammed the door shut. Turning toward him, his long strides almost had her caught and it was easy to calm down her nerves when she smiled, noting his hair was also damp from a fresh shower. The man reached her quickly, his usual grin on his face while he stepped into the shade provided by the building near where the vehicles were parked.

"Morning," she smiled at him.

"Iris up?"

She shook her head, "No. She was up late last night."

"Doing what?"

"Telling me all about how I can do so much better than you," she smirked.

The Shield grinned mischievously at her, causing heat to rise to her cheeks and her heart rate to increase. Athenacia didn't notice that she was being backed into her truck until she collided with the cool, hard surface. Gladio placed a hand on either side of her head, leaning against the vehicle as he trapped her with not only his gaze, but his body as well. Her breath was catching in her throat at his proximity, feeling the heat that radiated off his skin. He was so close, yet so far away at the same time. Her own hands wished to reach that short distance and close the gap between them. His fresh scent invaded her nostrils which only resulted in her knees wishing to give out beneath her and he was very aware of the effects his actions had on her. As he gazed down at her, he was feeling better now that she wasn't jerking herself away from him. It was also easy to see that her eye was getting better, revealing the underlying sleeping problem she always carried with her. The light was slowly returning to those hazel orbs, the one that had died at the hands of Caligo and of the Empire taking away Insomnia. Athenacia looked better every day and today in particular, at this moment, he had her all to himself. The large man could hear her breaths getting deeper, the desire within himself building up the longer he gazed at her.

"Is that so?" he didn't sound like he believed it.

Her eyes dropped down from his gaze to follow every movement of his lips. It was then she realized how long it had been since she tasted him for herself. Back in the city, near her house before that was probably reduced to rubble. They were always around other people, no time for themselves, and when she did have a moment alone she was flinching away from him. But right now, everything she had been through was far from her mind. Athenacia was mesmerized by the colours swirling in his amber eyes, the way he was hungrily looking at her right now. Swallowing lightly, she let her eyes fall on him once more. His shirt was open, revealing those perfectly sculpted muscles on his abdomen, the bird watching her from his chest that rose in fell in such a hypnotic way. Slowly, her eyes rose again to meet his face and she remembered to breathe just before her vision went fuzzy.

"That's right," her voice was barely there.

Gladio smirked, bringing his face down toward her and grazing her nose with his own. Athenacia felt his hot breath on her face and could no longer contain herself, bringing her lips crashing upon his own and reaching her small hands toward his waist. The doctor snaked them slowly, agonizingly, around his back and pulled him closer to her, closing the gap between them finally. He brought one of his hands to the back of her head, resting it on her neck to hold her in place and deepening their kiss. The softest of moans involuntarily escaped her at his actions, bringing satisfaction coursing through him. It was with regret she pulled away moments after, taking in a deep breath while he kept his forehead against her own and their eyes remained closed.

"You're bluffing," his voice was laced with a husky tone.

"No word of a lie," she replied in that same sort of lusty sound.

"I don't know, Doc," he was still unconvinced, "That kind of behaviour would need punishing."

 _That_  certainly roused a beast within her she had no idea she was containing, "Well," she swallowed again, "We wouldn't want that, would we?"

Gladiolus still had that smirk on his face, rubbing her nose with his own before preparing to capture her again. At this rate they would need their own room and Iris can share with the other guys. Or they could just take the truck for a small drive out of the way while the Prince was sleeping. The man was about to make contact with her, that breath on his face every bit as inviting as it was the last time. Her taste was one that lingered and he hadn't forgotten it in the slightest during the time they were apart. One was never enough, highly addictive.

"Gladio!"

They stopped, Athenacia smiling as Gladiolus growled at the distraction. Prompto had called out to him, maybe not even seeing her beneath the mountain that towered over her. The Shield took a step back, looking over at the Crow's Nest where the young man had obviously been either going into or coming out of. Athenacia couldn't exactly see since it was on the other side of the truck and she had her back toward the diner, but she was convinced he was doing it on purpose. Thin ice.

"Prompto..." growled Gladiolus, "Every damn time."

"Rain check," she smiled.

"You're wracking up that debt," he warned.

"Debt? What debt?"

"You still owe me an exam."

"I gave you an exam last night!"

"But I hurt in places that need a private exam," he gave her a wolfish sort of smile.

"Well then, I'll make sure to book an appointment with the local physician," she said pointedly, ducking underneath his arms and toward the restaurant.

"That hurts, Doc!" he called after her, walking to catch up to where she was.

"You better make sure to mention that during your appointment to," she replied, smiling at her small victory.

One for her side.

...

A few hours later the six of them were all awake and functioning. Noctis was the last to wake up, to which no one was surprised. Ignis made sure he had eaten at least before he took his time getting ready for the day. They weren't in a huge hurry to get to Caem but there was no need to be lingering around either. From what Athenacia could understand, the owners of the garage in Hammerhead were waiting there in Caem for the boys to arrive so they could get an old boat fixed up and they could set sail for Altissia. The doctor was a little sad to know that she would be parting ways with them again. After seeing them fight she felt better about attracting unwanted Imperial attention toward them and knew they could hold their own, especially since they had gone head first into a giant base and took it down on more than one occasion. Once they left Caem and the physician regrouped with Cor, she'd be able to hopefully get some of the answers she was looking for. Truth be told, after reestablishing her connection with Gladiolus, the more time she spent with him the less she wanted to be apart from him. It was easier when they were separated and she could worry at a distance, it would be harder to let him go now.

That time, however, hadn't come yet. They were still in Old Lestallum, waiting for Noctis to be finished. During that time they were sitting at one of the many plastic tables. Gladiolus sat closer to Athenacia than really necessary while she picked at the plate of fruit in front of all of them. The Shield kept one of his massive hands rested on her thigh, lightly caressing it which kept her face flushed as she tried to focus on other things. He was doing it on purpose because of what happened earlier. It wasn't like she was the one that interrupted him, why did he insist on punishing her for it? Her eyes were downcast as she spoke and listened, not wanting to face them. He, however, was going on as if he wasn't doing anything and no one really noticed either.

"I'll go check on Noct," said Iris.

No one said anything about it. The young girl was obviously itching to go and have a moment alone with him anyway and Athenacia had a quick look over at Gladiolus, who didn't pay much attention to it. Certainly he would have had to notice where his sister's affections truly lied? It was really none of her business but still painful to watch sometimes.

"Your hand has fully healed," stated Ignis, taking her from her thoughts.

Athenacia saw the curious look he was giving toward the untainted flesh on her right hand. It then dawned on her what happened, she was testing her magic out last night to make sure it was still working. Since it was dark out and covered in blood, she hadn't noticed that she rid herself of the contusions completely. That explained the suspicion in his curious gaze. Shit.

"Told you I heal fast," she waved it off, covering the back of her right hand with the left.

"Indeed," he replied, unconvinced.

The girl offered no other explanation, no way for him to know how it had happened anyway so she really had nothing to worry about. Ignis really did notice everything and she would have to be even more careful now than before. In that manner they were almost similar, always keeping an eye on their surroundings and the people they encountered. It was a defensive move to keep the team, mainly the Prince, alive and she couldn't fault him for utilizing his training. It was the exact same thing she did on a daily basis, so ingrained into her that she could never escape it. The bespectacled man gave an exasperated sigh as he checked the time on his watch.

"At this pace it's doubtful we'll make it to Caem before nightfall," mused Ignis.

"Hopefully there's rest stop in between," said Prompto.

"Why's that?" asked Athenacia, glancing at him briefly before returning her eyes to her hands.

"I don't really like the woods. Too many monsters."

"You kidding? What could be better than roughing it out there?" asked Gladiolus in disbelief.

"A million other things could be better."

"Someone dropped you on your head as a child, didn't they?"

"Easy there big guy. I just enjoy a firm bed under me."

"Nice firm ground's much better for your back."

"That's a myth," scoffed Prompto.

"He's not wrong actually," said Athenacia, looking up, "The best way to sleep is on the floor. The flat surface helps to realign your spine and prevent back pain. Sleeping on a soft bed only hinders your posture. It's probably why you slouch more often than not."

"She's a doctor," said Gladiolus proudly, throwing it in Prompto's face.

"You didn't sleep on the floor," accused the blond.

"No, I didn't. But there is, actually was, a board I had cut to put in between my mattress and box spring. After being on the road for so long, beds are too soft and it's hard to get used to them," she replied, "And lots of nights I did end up on the floor anyway. Mostly in the bathroom," she added as an afterthought.

"There was a board in your bed?" asked Gladiolus curiously.

She nodded, "Yeah, not too thick but enough to make a difference."

"I never noticed."

Prompto laughed, "You slept there all the time and you didn't even notice?"

"I had other things distracting me," he smirked, looking over at her and squeezing her thigh.

Her face turned a dark shade of crimson, shooting down to her hands that were now in her lap. Athenacia was extremely happy that Iris wasn't here right now to hear that, having no idea what the reaction of Prompto's face was but it must have been funny because Gladiolus was laughing at him. Nope, her hands were much more interesting, even as she was trying to secretly push away the hand he was resting on her thigh. Gladio, of course, had no intention of moving it, thoroughly enjoying himself at her own expense. She was really going to have to get him back for that.

"Finally ready are we?" she heard Ignis speak.

Athenacia chanced to look up, relieved that Noctis and Iris had made an appearance and changed the subject. The Prince still didn't look like he was willing to get up at all today but here he was with a bored expression on his face. The young girl beside him seemed quite pleased with herself and piqued the doctor's interest. That was until someone caught a look at her.

"Athenacia, are you okay? Your face is really red," said Iris.

That only made her feel like her face was turning an even deeper shade of red. Gladiolus roared with laughter at her side while Prompto let out a groan. The girl tore her gaze away and went back to her hands. Every set of eyes was on her and she wished she could burst into flames in order to draw them away. Damn, another one for his side.

"I'm good," she replied as neutral as she could manage.

...

Within the hour they were finally ready to leave. Athenacia had no idea how long it would take to get to Caem but she did agree that they didn't have much daylight left. It seemed that nightfall came earlier each time. Staying out all night wasn't an issue for her, she was still a former Glaive and not too long ago she was sleeping in the bed of her truck or a haven that looked good at the time. Daemons didn't scare her. With Gladiolus back at the wheel, she sat in the passenger seat once more. Athenacia crammed her feet into the floor of the truck, trying to find room with the garbage pile and her things scattered everywhere. Catching the eye of the Shield, she dared him to say something about it. Gladio waited patiently for her to figure it out, keeping a knowing smirk on his lips. Her face was flushing again as she could feel his amused eyes bore into her. It was only making her grow more frustrated, giving up entirely and just folding her legs beside her in the middle seat with a small nearly inaudible huff.

"You know Doc-" he began.

"Shut up," she cut him off darkly, keeping her eyes out the window despite being still parked.

"I'm just saying-"

"No, you're shutting up."

"Really, if you-"

"Quiet."

The Shield didn't speak while she held her gaze out the window, resting her arm on the opening and feeling a slight breeze come in. With that same smile still on his face, he turned on the truck and began to pull out of the parking spot after the Regalia. Just before he hit the road he finally said something.

"You're a slob," he stated.

"Gladio!" she seethed, snapping her head to look at him.

He began to laugh at her while she glared, moving her feet kick him.

"I'm driving Doc, you trying to kill us?" he said in between breaths.

Athenacia growled in frustration at him, turning her head back towards the window pointedly. His laughter died down as the wind hit her face and she relaxed once they were on the road once more, heading toward their destination. The map in her memory followed their movements and she wondered where they would stop for the night, hoping it was somewhere peaceful and with clear skies. There was no denying she could use the therapeutic remedy of the stars tonight, try and clear her head a little with everything that happened last night. As the minutes turned into hours, the lack of sleep she had suffered was starting to catch up with her. Her eyes burned, even as the sun ducked behind the grey coloured clouds coming in over the sky. The doctor switched her position, deciding one of her naps might be in order. Her head came down into the middle seat, the top of it resting against her driver's leg. Curling her feet beneath her, she was almost asleep but jumped slightly when she felt his massive hand come to rest on her shoulder. It was then she moved up so that his leg was her pillow before returning to her nap.

Sleep eluded her. Despite how exhausted she really was, her mind would not allow her to bother with it whatsoever. Athenacia placed one of her small hands in front of her face, on his thigh and frowned it tensed slightly. Odd, but then it occurred to her where she currently was. A small smirk found her face, and she turned it out of sight so he couldn't see what she was plotting. Claiming her bottom lip, she slid her fingers slowly toward the inside and tried not to smile when she felt the hand he kept on her shoulder stiffen slightly. These were dangerous waters she knew, something she was sure she was going to pay for later, however, she just wasn't sure how she felt about that just yet. Slowly she inched her hand until it was just about to reach where his pants joined at the seams, well aware of how tantalizingly close she was to some of his most sensitive skin and was careful not to touch him there while her fingers lightly ran along his inner thigh. Athenacia could feel him tensing it each time her fingers were oh so close but not quite there yet and contained her laughter. It was a good thing she had her face well hidden because as soon as she would meet his gaze all would be lost. The girl stopped completely when he swiftly left her shoulder and firmly held her right breast.

"Don't think I won't pull this thing off the road," he warned.

"You wouldn't dare," she replied, recovering quickly and going back to her work.

It was a bit harder this time since he was caressing her as well. Athenacia was losing focus and that wasn't what she needed. Finally, she broke the barrier that she had been teasing him with this entire time, just one small graze with her right forefinger. Gladio grunted slightly, and she felt the truck begin to slow down. Her eyes widened as her hand stopped moving.

"What are you doing?" she asked in alarm.

"I warned you, Doc," he said, rubbing his thumb over her hardened nipple through her shirt and bra.

"You are not!" she cried, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

"It's happening," he said firmly, smiling as he turned.

Athenacia felt the unmistakable bumps in the road that indicated they were now in the dirt, shooting up to have a look and getting ready to... well to do what exactly? She'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't actually want him to, however, her thoughts shattered completely as she could clearly see the Regalia still in front of them. Gladiolus began to laugh at her stunned face as yet again today she shone a deep crimson. Huffing in frustration, she crossed her arms over her chest, looking vehemently out the window. Damn him! One more for his side.


	40. Training Recollection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much!

Gladiolus followed the Regalia down the dirt road as Athenacia recovered from her earlier embarrassment and frowned in thought, wondering why they were veering off the main road. There was a river that ran parallel to them, giving her an idea of where on the map they were. The sun had come out to shimmer along the surface and she kept her eyes all over the scenery while Gladiolus as they were starting to pull over into a parking spot. The doctor kept her face neutral as the engine was turned off, curious about making a stop here. They both got out of the truck, Athenacia having to kick the door open since it was sticking worse and worse every time she used it. Slamming the door shut, she wondered how long before the door would just fall off completely. It felt good to stretch her legs, cramped in the vehicle with nowhere to go and taking her time walking to the others getting out of the Regalia. In retrospect, she should really clean up the garbage in there but then, she was usually the one driving so she never really had to worry about it.

"What's up?" asked Gladiolus.

"Speculating the rumour of the Malmalam Thicket," answered Ignis.

"We might just find what we're looking for here."

"Indeed."

Gladiolus looked thoughtful before turning to Athenacia, "You up for it?"

The girl blinked, not really sure why he was asking. Were they going to turn around if she wasn't? Or just leave her and Iris behind? Either way, she'd much rather keep an eye on all of them if they planned on going in. It was better if they had a medic on the scene while they could and after her string of bad luck, she was feeling the need to prove herself to make sure that should she face her enemies and handle it. Besides, she was never going to stop them from carrying out their mission. Even if she didn't know what the rumour was this was their show, not hers.

"Sure," she replied, "I just need a minute."

Gladio nodded, walking with her back toward the truck. Athenacia pulled on the door, trying to open it but it was extremely stuck this time. Huffing, she growled in frustrated with it, letting go once she heard a chocobo whistle near the Regalia. Gladiolus took that opportunity to pull the door effortlessly open with a smirk on his face and she glared at him. Smiling, she grabbed her clothes bag, pulling it up onto the seat and opening a compartment on the side. The Shield watched as she pulled out two small armbands and two bigger ones, made of a substance he didn't recognize but observed curiously. Athenacia strapped the armbands onto the middle of each upper arm, then put the other ones onto her mid-thigh, not terribly far from the end of her dark brown shorts. A single gauntlet came from the bag as well and he saw her place it gently on her left hand. It fell in between her fingers, dark brown like her shorts with what looked like a small black jewel in the centre of her palm. The knuckles were protected with a sturdy looking silver metal, as well as around her wrist and finally stopping at her forearm. Lastly, a single black leather fingerless glove came over her right hand. There was nothing special about it, merely meant for a firmer grip while holding her weapon. The last thing she pulled out was a small armband completely unlike the ones strapped to her body.

Athenacia took the sheathed blade from underneath the other bag, firmly fastening the armband onto the hilt and carefully strapped the weapon diagonally across her back with the hilt over the right shoulder. It was uncomfortable, the wound on her scapula scabbed still, which meant she wasn't done physically healing from it. Stretching it out quick, she zipped up the other bag and then grabbed her med bag, opening it up before quickly going over her inventory. Gladiolus was distracted by chocobos running towards them and she quickly used that opportunity to slip two small syringes into her pocket. Satisfied, she closed the bag and pulled it over her shoulders so that it rested easily on her back, taking a step away from the truck and closing the door. It didn't shut completely so she shoved her body into it. Still nothing. Gladiolus pushed on it once and it closed without a problem. He kept that grin on his face while she again glared at him, pushing past him as he let out a chuckle.

"That's not funny," she said pointedly.

"You're smiling," he replied.

"You're not funny."

"Sure, Doc," he continued to laugh at her.

Whatever retort she had prepared was cut short by more chocobos blowing past her and toward the source of the whistle. One of the bird nudged her when she reached the other, making her smile absently and ruffle its feathers. Taking a quick look, she noted there seemed to be one for each of them and that suited her just fine. The bird that had chosen her was smaller than the rest, a darker yellow than normal with baby blue accented feathers on the tail and under the wings. Keeping that smile on her face, she ruffled them one more time before taking hold of the reins and climbing onto the back, looking over and waited patiently for everyone to be ready to go.

"Move out!" commanded Iris excitedly, her face aglow atop her pink bird.

Everyone was happy to comply. Athenacia nudged her bird gently, starting at a trot. The wind at her face made another smile come to life. When was the last time she rode a chocobo? Gods, she couldn't even remember such freedom. All of her lessons came back to her and she picked up the pace once she had regained confidence in the bird. It was important to trust one's mount and vise versa so that the commands flowed as one single bring, something Cor taught her at a young age. It seemed she and the bird had established that before the others since she was having the least amount of trouble, but then, the bird had picked her and she was unsure of how the others came to their choice. Eventually, Gladiolus had pushed by her with a smirk on his face and she let out a small laugh, nudging her bird again. It had no trouble catching up to the Shield and then taking the lead once more. The Shield wasn't letting her go that easily. Once again he was ahead of her and after what happened in the truck she was feeling a little sour about letting him win anything else, however, she wasn't going to exhaust a bird just to get it. No, she would need to plan this out a little better. Deciding on letting him think he's won, she nudged her bird once more.

"Coming through lovebirds!" declared Prompto.

The young man had sped by them quickly, causing her to laugh at his antics despite the blush that crept to her cheeks. Others had caught up with them and as they approached a bridge, she decided it was best to stay with the group. The small bridge was taken single file, the entire time her eyes were on the river below. Once they had crossed over to the other side, she caught sight of enemies near the beach and waited patiently. There were four sea devils along the shore but they hadn't noticed them yet. The chocobo under her was a little uneasy. Noctis dismounted, letting the bird go to safety which appeared to be the signal. Athenacia carefully swung her leg over the bird and touched the ground gently, petting it one time and it faithfully remained in its spot. Athenacia fell beside Iris, who was standing on the sidelines as the battle began. Carefully she unsheathed her weapon and held it in her hand with the point low. Her left hand was in front of her as she watched every movement of friend and foe alike, currently not needed in the batch, the boys handling themselves well. However, a fifth sea devil had made its way over to her, going unnoticed by the rest of them.

Iris tensed up, preparing to defend herself but Athenacia stepped forward, drawing its attention. She waited, keeping her ears trained on the others for anything she might need to be careful of. The sea devil began to charge at her then but she remained still, watching it and matching its angry stare. The physician couldn't hear anything else as it lunged, attempting to bite her with its giant jaws and she allowed it to clamp onto her gauntlet, the metal stopping it from making a full bite and piercing her skin. It was trying to move her around but stopped suddenly when she easily slid her gladius through the head. The target ceased its struggling and fell limp, lifeless. Athenacia pulled her weapon back out effortlessly, the hook on the end catching some brain matter while she shrugged the lifeless body off of her arm. A quick look told her that there was no more threat, in fact, Gladiolus was watching her with mild amusement. Grabbing her cloth, she wiped off her blade before sheathing it across her back once more.

Athenacia got back onto the back of her chocobo after the men shared a round of congratulations and they continued on their journey. They hadn't encountered anything else on the way up the trail that zigzagged the entire time. A thin layer of sweat coated her skin by the time they had reached the entrance of the thicket. The birds were reluctant to go in, so they were left to graze on the outside. The doctor fell in step with Iris and Prompto, having a look at everything around her. When she noted the height of the rock walls on either side of them, she slowed her pace, mindful of the only exit.

"Step lightly in here," warned Ignis.

Gladiolus was waiting for her to catch up, "You still up for it?"

"Yeah," she smiled, picking up her pace.

The physician kept her eyes and ears peeled as she brought up the rear. The sun was blocked by the overgrow of the rock walls that led them down a narrow path. Danger was all around her and sh unsheathed her weapon slowly. Carefully she pulled the thick armband over her wrist and kept the point low mostly behind her, keeping her distance in order to avoid any accidents. The first enemy wasn't long after their entrance, one mandrake. Noctis warped ahead to engage, the other three on his back instantly. Athenacia just kept walking, watching for any other threats around them. Iris seemed to be on edge until the beast was slain without much effort. Four on one was always good odds. They continued on their path carefully, not wanting to have any monster get the jump on them. As they were ascending the slanted path two more mandrakes made their appearance as well. Again, Athenacia observed, studying the movements of not only her enemy but her allies.

It was easy to see the training that Cor had instilled in them. The Marshal trained her as well, thoroughly and playing to her strengths. These four had their own unique and diverse way of handling things, fighting as one with a delicate balance. To stumble in now would cause chaos, she had to know where her moves could fit in without causing alarm. While the threats to them were acute this was the perfect time to figure it all out. Athenacia was trained to hold her patience at all times before rushing in, never thought she'd be back out fighting in the wilderness again but it was a good thing she remembered most of what Cor had taught her over the years.

The mandrakes were vanquished and they pressed on. There was idle banter about treasures and whatnot but she wasn't really focused on that, doing what she was trained to do and watched for threats while knowing her exits. Ignis kept a particularly keen eye on her as she moved around, also analyzing his surroundings and she remembered that was part of his job. As they came to a darker area, Noctis found some mushroom, something which Ignis found of high interest. Right, he was the cook, stuff on the ground he could probably turn into a gourmet meal. Her head snapped to a sound she heard in a distance. She wasn't the only one who heard it, Ignis and Gladiolus were also looking in the same direction. Athenacia gripped her gladius tighter, finally seeing the source of the disturbance. A swarm of wasps were flying toward them, getting ready to attack and defend their home. Flashes of blue occupied her peripheral vision, the others had summoned their weapons - except for Iris who seemed to be unarmed. Athenacia frowned, deciding she would keep an eye on her while the others would do their duty to the Prince.

"Why did it have to be bugs?" whined Prompto.

But no one answered him. Athenacia kept her eyes on everyone she could before the fight started. One of the wasps was flying toward her and she sliced at it with her weapon, dodging another attack coming for her. She took out one of the legs of another and used her gauntlet to deflect the next, stabbing into the injured one for the kill before moving on. The doctor was near Iris at this point, having landed on silent feet while dodging three bugs that were coming for her. As one was closing in, Iris punched as Athenacia sliced the other two without effort. She kept her left arm up while her gladius was behind her, ready to strike again. The aggravated wasp came back at Iris so the physician pulled the girl down and killed it before it could do any damage.

"Noct!"

Her head whipped at the sound of Ignis shouting for the Prince. One of the wasps had him with its disgusting legs and was lifting him effortlessly into the air. Quickly her eyes mapped a clear path, beginning her trek. Iris would be fine and Athenacia knew the best way to move. Ducking under a wasp, she slashed at another and swiftly used her left hand on Prompto's back to launch herself into the air to avoid three more. Landing on her feet, she deflected more enemies before seeing her clear shot. Athenacia wound her arm and then threw her gladius, making a beeline for the wasp that was holding the Prince. The clasp of the band around her arm began to show a chain length that kept her attached to the weapon as it dug into the bug and held on. Taking a firm grip, she yanked on it once and the wasp jerked, letting go of the Prince who was able to warp into safety. Finally, Athenacia pulled harder and the wasp was torn to shreds as she called back her weapon. The chain began to retract and she used that opportunity to hit as many of them as she could. Another one was down as the gladius came hilt first towards her at an alarming rate. She sidestepped, letting the weapon pass her before she caught it in time to lay waste to the wasp that was aiming for her. Athenacia ducked swiftly as Gladiolus thrust his massive greatsword to catch a bug behind her, rolling to the right and on her feet instantly to slashed at two more enemies, killing them. A quick look told her that there were about three of them left. Noctis had warp killed one while Ignis and Prompto finished the rest. The girl breathed a sigh of relief, declining a potion offered to her by Iris.

"Nice moves, Doc," praised Gladiolus with a grin.

Athenacia only smiled, knowing that she was sloppy but deciding not to get into that now. There was no sense in wiping her weapon since she didn't plan on sheathing it anytime soon. Her sensitive nose caught the scent of water and she could hear a river running. Perfect. Hopefully, it wasn't cold, she hated being cold. The ground became damper they came toward said river. There was another wasp floating around but on the ground was a shieldshear. That could pose a bit of a problem but one that she already had a solution to, chewing her lip in thought as the others called their weapons.

"Wait," she instructed.

All eyes were on her curiously. Athenacia took another scan of the area, making sure that she was indeed only dealing with the two enemies. There didn't appear to be any more potential threats. Good, this would be an easy round - as long as they listened to her and she remembered her training.

"I got this," she said, taking a step forward.

The girl had a firm grip on her gladius, her eyes following the wasp that hadn't noticed them yet. Every set of eyes were on her, boring into her it felt like. Good, it was about time Athenacia Virum got some recognition. She wasn't a Glaive for nothing, that was for sure. Setting her jaw, she finally saw the pattern she was looking for. Once the wasp was in position she threw her weapon once more, allowing the chain to extend. It dug into the bug firmly, causing the beast to cry out in pain. The shieldshear had taken notice but it wouldn't matter. Athenacia twitched her wrist to the right, causing the chain to retract. But it wasn't coming toward her, instead, she allowed her body to lift off the ground as the wasp was trying to fly. She used the momentum to quickly begin to circle the shieldshear. Once she was on the ground she kept up her circle until both the bug and the ground dweller were wrapped up tightly in the chain. Keeping a firm grip on the chain at her wrist, she then flicked it quickly to the left. Spikes that once laid flat in the chain came bursting to life. Both creatures screamed their protests at her actions but were unable to move. They were caught, the armour of the shieldshear was pierced by the metal and that was her goal the entire time. It would be a lot easier now for them to take it out - something that Ignis caught onto almost immediately. The boys burst into life while she held a firm ground with her chain. Once they had slain both monsters she yanked on it once more and it sliced through the carcasses and left her a direct line to her gladius. Athenacia jerked her wrist so that the spikes were back in place before commanding the chain to retract. Again, she let the blade swing by her before holding out her hand and catching the handle.

"That was awesome!" said Iris happily, "You guys are so cool!"

The boys congratulated themselves and Athenacia just smiled. The sun had officially gone down at this point but they kept going. It wasn't much farther that a haven was found and a unanimous decision was made to rest. Athenacia ran her blade in the river, allowing the water to wash it off before removing the band from her wrist and replacing it in its sheath along her back. Climbing up onto the haven, she had a quick look around at what she could do to help them all out. It didn't take them that long to get things situated. The fire was going, thanks to Mr. Outdoors himself, and both tents were set up but there was still only five chairs. At the present moment, it didn't matter. Ignis was cooking who knew what but it definitely smelled good. Athenacia had shed her arm braces along with her gauntlet, fingerless glove and the braces around her thighs. She unstrapped her weapon as well, keeping it all in the tent that she would be sharing with Iris. Keeping her med bag, she out her latex gloves and applied them to her hands while setting up her triage station.

Prompto was first and there was nothing really wrong with him. A few scrapes, a couple of contusions and he was good to go. Noctis was next. He actually a bit of work. Virum had him remove his shirt despite how awkward he seemed to feel about it. It was easier to see the damage from when that wasp had lifted him into the air. Nothing serious but she did give him an antidote just in case. Iris was next on the list. The young girl didn't fight much but her knuckles did not look good. Dr. Virum carefully ran her fingers over them, gauging the pain and then deciding on an idea.

"Do you still have those gloves?" asked the doctor.

"Yeah," replied Iris.

"Good. Get them for me."

"O-okay."

Virum nodded. Ignis was her next patient. He fussed but she told him to never mind and someone else can watch dinner. The man had a small contusion on his arm and a bit of an infection on his leg. The doctor solved that problem quickly, allowing him to get back to his cooking. Gladiolus was last at his own insistence. Dr. Virum didn't see anything serious, in fact, he was thrown around the least. Figures, however, she did dress a laceration on his forearm and prod at a contusion on his chest. When she was finished, she packed her things away neatly and closed up the bag. Athenacia was about to put it back in her tent but the Shield had other ideas, stopping her quickly and pulling her onto his lap which caused her to flush completely. Gladio kept one of his massive tattooed arms around her back to hold her in place while she was seated on his left leg and her thighs rested on his right, on the end so she was able to face everyone and that was not what she wanted at all. Luckily, no one seemed to be paying attention to them while she fought with the heat that wished to rise to her cheeks, even as Ignis brought them each a plate of the dinner he was preparing with the help of Iris. Okay, so maybe there were not enough chairs but she was content on the ground.

"What is that thing that you use anyway?" asked Prompto.

"What thing?" asked Athenacia, finishing her plate.

"The blade," answered Noctis, "Never seen it before."

"It's modified to my needs, but it started out as a gladius."

"The chain is a nice touch," compliment Gladiolus.

"Indeed. I'm curious as to its origin," said Ignis.

"It's nothing special. I just did it so that I never had to warp," she explained.

"You had my dads magic?" asked Noctis.

Athenacia didn't face him, just looked down at her hands and nodded slowly, "Yeah. I had trouble with the warping and wasn't really into it. I managed it once and that was it. I never wanted anything to do with it again."

Noctis laughed, "It only gets easier."

"I'll never know," she smiled at him, "And I never want to."

"But you could use the other magic?" asked Prompto.

"Oh yeah, the black magic was easy."

"I keep telling them that," teased Noctis.

"Easy for you maybe," scoffed Prompto.

"You're supposed to have better aim."

"Fire and a gun are two different things!"

"I miss fire mostly," interjected Athenacia in thought.

"Oh yeah?" Gladiolus had a smirk on his face.

"Fire is pretty cool," agreed Prompto.

"It is. Not only did it help at night outside but I'm a very tiny person and people tend to ignore me. I found that people would often listen very carefully to everything I had to say when there was a fireball in my hand," she smiled.

That caused a round of laughter despite how serious she was. Gladiolus kept a grin on his face as his arm once again snaked around her back and pulled her a little closer. His other hand slipped his empty plate onto her own and she held them both. The night proceeded with its usual air of ease around it but as it grew later people began their eventual trek into bed. The boys were in one tent and the other was meant for the girls. At some point, Athenacia had taken a vacated chair and the not too much longer later, Gladiolus finally retired to his tent. The physician was left by the fire, lying on the ground and staring at the stars alone with her own thoughts.


	41. Bad Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! 50 kudos is a blessing! This is one of my fave chapters of these two. I'm also really excited to keep plunging forward, so much to reveal!

Gladiolus was restless throughout the night. He tried not to toss around too much and wake the others but every time he closed his eyes he was back in front of the Regalia, facing Ravus Nox Fleuret and failing at protecting Noctis. Ravus had the Prince by the throat while the Shield was forced to sit and watch. Anger welled up within him as his amber eyes analyzed everything around them. Gladio pushed down on the blade, startling his enemy and causing him to release the grip he had on the Prince. As the Shield stood in front of his charge he was ready to face off and win this time, but his weapon would not come to his hands. Ravus only smiled at the confusion and took that chance to strike. The blow delivered to him was massive, knocking him back into the car and leaving a huge dent in the door. The pain he felt in his abdomen at the contact of the arm was almost unbearable, the wind completely gone from him. Gladiolus stood hunched over as he put an arm on the wound, taking sharp breaths in as he glared at his enemy, however, the High Commander only laughed, the voice taunting his dreams.

_A weak shield protects naught._

The scene before him disintegrated. Gladio was left with only Ravus as images began to form in front of his eyes. Iris in Lestallum, in the custody of the Empire. Faceless refugees were knelt down with her as the night sky plagued dark black clouds above him. Ravus stood over her with that evil smile of his as he held the tip of his blade under her chin. Gladiolus could only stand and watch as his sister wailed in fear at what could befall her. Her eyes were on him, pleading that he do something to save her, however, he couldn't move and his weapon would not come to his hands. The High Commander kept his hand steady, that cold stare boring into him the entire time. Gladio growled, finally able to break whatever chain was holding him still. He wouldn't make it in time, Ravus was ready to deliver the final, fatal blow.

"Gladdy!" she cried in fear.

"Stop! I'm Iris Amicitia!"

Gladiolus stopped in his tracks, looking toward the source of the familiar voice. He was faced with Athenacia walking toward them with a fierce determination. Ravus dropped his blade and began his trek to meet her as the Shield watched, unable to call out or stop this from happening. The High Commander was swift in his movements, slicing her neck on the right side. Blood gushed out and her scream of anguish filled his ears. When he was finally able to move, Ravus and Iris had disappeared, leaving Athenacia in the hands of Caligo. The blood no longer rushed from her neck, just formed a scar that ran down her collarbone and stopped just below the shoulder. That monster held her by the hair, blood dripping slowly down her left cheek as her eye swelled up completely black and purple. She looked the exact way Cor had found her that night, tears falling from her only good eye and there was nothing he could do to stop it, nothing he could do to save her.

_A weak shield protects naught._

Gladiolus let out a heavy sigh as he rolled onto his back and put an arm underneath his head. The deep and even breaths of the others - and a soft snore - filled his ears while he kept his focus on the top of the tent. Ignis wasn't up yet which meant that it was still nighttime, harder to tell while under the canopy of the thicket. The Shield closed his eyes again, only to be back in that same scene once more and frowned at his own failure. There had to be something more he could do, something that would prove he was worthy to be the King's Shield because right now he was hardly a man clawing his way toward his duty, failing at every turn. The cold hard fact remained: he just wasn't strong enough.

Internally sighing, he gave up on sleep entirely at this point and carefully got up to exit the tent without managing to wake the others. The fire was still burning, having been fed most of the night and he wore another frown on his face when he encountered Athenacia still up and out of her tent. The girl was laying on her back beside the fire, staring distantly into the sky. It was clear she hadn't slept all night, nor the night previous. From this vantage point he could see her purple eye and the scabbed over cut on her cheek. Athenacia would forever wear that as a scar, another memento from the Empire special just for her - not that it tarnished his thoughts on her appearance. No, it only reminded him more of his failures as a sworn Shield. Okay, so she wasn't Noctis but he liked to think that she was his woman and he failed to protect her as well. Those injuries were there because she was protecting his own sister and many others. Athenacia was doing a job that she was roped into, while he failed at the very thing he was born to do. His father would never have let anything like this happen.

_A weak shield protects naught._

The large man growled lowly at the words running through his head. It was then the doctor noticed him, frowning slightly at his appearance before bringing herself to sit up and face him. Gladiolus only forced himself a smile as he regarded her. The flaming hair was down, reaching her elbows as it flared out behind her and looked soft as it rested against her. The purple eye looked better, however, both her eyes were puffy and bloodshot with sleep deprivation. Her pale complexion was still evident, reflecting in the flames that bounced off her cheeks. Gladio was neutral about the change in her hair, having it long and a different colour. Currently he still couldn't even figure out how it had grown so fast, but what did he really know about girl's hair anyway? Walking over there on his bare feet, he took a seat beside her while she hugged her knees to her chest, not saying a word with her eyes back on the fire once he was settled. His amber gaze was also directed at the dancing flames, his right leg up and his forearm resting on the knee. The fire hissed and popped as it burned, reflecting its warmth upon them while they sat in silence, but not for long.

"Can't sleep?" she inquired lightly.

"No," he answered, his face hard at his own thoughts.

"Bad dreams," she stated, nodding in understanding.

"It's not that," he began to lie to her.

She snorted, "Gladio, I've been having nightmares for nearly six years. I know all the signs, I'm sort of an expert."

Gladiolus sighed, knowing she was right. He recalled when he would spend nights at her house and she would shake awake. Sometimes it was subtle, other times it was violent and he pretended not to notice, waiting as long as he could for her to fall back into slumber. Some nights she never would. Before the invasion, he noticed that it would get a little better, now it was worse than before. Athenacia never talked about it, probably never wanted to burden him. That girl was very independent when they first met and that hadn't changed in the slightest - though she had a big heart to become a doctor and care for people who probably never deserved it. Now she could see he was suffering the same plague she was. Anyone else wouldn't have even bothered to guess or ask about it. Gladiolus was mesmerized by the light of the flames but very aware of her presence next to him. There was no trace of their joking around like usual, the mood not calling for it. Athenacia was far too exhausted for that anyway and he wouldn't bother her like that. There was a time and place, and he couldn't lie to her about why he wasn't asleep right now, she saw it before he even sat down.

"Yeah," he admitted finally, "Bad dream."

"Thought so," she said lightly.

The Shield looked over at her once she began to move. Athenacia used her hands to push herself toward him, putting her body on the inside of his legs and leaning her back against his bare chest. Her soft red hair felt like silk against his skin as the back of her head was looking up into the sky and her forehead was just underneath his chin at his neck. Gladio wrapped his left arm around her tiny waist, letting his head fall against hers while she brought her right hand up and entangled her fingers into his massive left hand. That small gesture made him feel comforted, taking away his pain and most of his uncertainty. The girl didn't have the answer he needed, however, he was still happy that she was here in his time of need. Athenacia soothed him in a way that no other ever had before, all with simple gestures.

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked lightly.

Her eyes were still distant as she looked up into the sky. Gladiolus kept his gaze on the fire, letting his thoughts come to the surface but he kept his mouth shut, not even knowing where to begin or how to explain it. Besides, no one was even supposed to know he was hurting at all. Somehow she had seen right through it despite his best efforts to hide it from anyone. What's more, she didn't bring it up at all in front of anyone else and allowed him to lean on her for support. She didn't even force him into it, was just there in a way he didn't know he needed. Athenacia knew how to handle his inability to communicate his problems, all without his knowing it. She was good.

"You gonna talk about yours?" he asked.

She smiled, "No. But I can tell you one thing."

"What's that?"

"Bad dreams are often a reflection of one's inability to cope with a trauma in the past. The best way to get rid of them is to find a way to resolve the subconscious issue - if it can be remedied."

Gladiolus took in all of her words, keeping a thoughtful frown on his face. Athenacia was right about that, which made him wonder what sort of thing she was trying desperately to repress that manifested into nightmares. He could only assume that they were the horrors of war, things that one person obviously couldn't handle. The Shield didn't judge her for it, in fact, he was impressed that she had fought as long as she did despite the toll it took upon her. This girl had strength in a way that he could never imagine himself mastering at all and he admired her for it. Athenacia pushed her own issues aside to help him, who knew what sort of thoughts he interrupted when he had happened upon her just now. Her words helped him more than she realized while he thought about them carefully, knowing that there was nothing but truth in them. If he wanted to rest easy he would have to prove himself as the Sworn Shield. Only one thing came to mind and he knew of only one person that could get him there. Gladio would still have to do it alone, something that could cause him to lose his own life, but he wouldn't plan on dying and he couldn't go running off anyway, not at the present moment. Sighing internally, he pushed those thoughts from his mind.

"Then we'll both just suffer," he replied, nodding once at her.

"I suppose so," she agreed.

Athenacia moved her head to get a better look at him and he brought his gaze to meet her own, seeing a sad smile.

"But for now we'll do it together," her voice was light.

The look she was giving him nearly took his breath away. That calm hazel stare bore into him, almost as if she could see through to his soul. They both had completely different problems sleeping but she was offering herself to him. She really was his, even after all the crap that happened in between the city falling. It was just them right now, nothing else existed around their universe. The fire crackling and the river flowing were distant as they gazed at each other. All the teasing, the hurt feelings, everything set aside to reflect how she felt about him in one simple stare. Athenacia was here for him regardless of his failures, accepted who he was and truly did see the man underneath the Shield. Gladiolus gently placed his right hand on her cheek, guiding her lips to his own and rubbed his thumb over her cheek gently before kissing her forehead, holding her close to him.

"Just you and me, baby," he murmured into her ear, his eyes back to the flames with his intent look, "Just you and me."

...

Gladiolus opened his eyes slowly, not noticing that he managed to doze off but it was dreamless this time at least. Drawing in a deep breath, he brought his hand to rub his eyes. The large man smiled as he looked down, bringing his hand back to rest along the waist of the woman in front of him. Athenacia was unresponsive, breathing evenly as she slept. They were still in front of the dwindling fire, the sky above them getting a little lighter. Ignis would be up any minute, that he was sure of. Gladio rested a moment, taking in the sight before him. It had been a long time since he woke up like this: Athenacia was sleeping soundly, using his arm as a pillow. The tumbling mass of flaming red hair was pushed against his chest, stuck between her back and his body. Her legs were curled underneath her, hair all over her face as her arms hugged his in order to hold it in place while she slept. The Shield could only smile down at her, feeling the gentle way her chest rose and fell against his forearm. Carefully he moved her hair out of her face, tucking it away behind her ear, flipped the industrial so that the dragonfly shone and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head before rolling onto his back.

His right arm was numb from not moving, he desperately needed it back. Gladio didn't want to wake her, knowing how little sleep she actually claimed, however, there was no help for it, he needed blood to flow through it. Rolling back, he brought his other heavily tattooed arm to wrap around her once more and carefully rolled her so that she was on her back. When he was about halfway she stirred, taking a deep breath before complying with his wishes on her own. Athenacia stretched herself out, her head still on his arm and one of her hands came to rest on the other around her waist, placing the left by her face. Gladiolus waited until she settled back into her sleep before gently removing one arm from her grasp and then using it to guide her head slowly onto the ground, freeing his numb one. The girl didn't react and he took that to be a good sign, rising from the ground and took a quick look around. No one was up yet, but it wouldn't be long before the early risers began to stir. The Shield made his way toward the river, wincing once the cool water hit his bare feet. His dream that initially led him outside of the tent earlier that night was still bothering him, however, there was no time to worry about it, he had a job to do. Bending over, he collected water in his hands before running it over his face. It woke up him a lot faster than sitting around and he needed to focus.

Meanwhile, Athenacia shook herself awake, thankfully not in a violent way this time. Immediately she noticed that she was cold, like the blanket of warmth she had drawn around her was gone entirely. That was how she felt right now, cold and deserted. Turning her head, she noted there was no longer a mountain of warmth at her back, just the cold, hard ground and she was sure that was not how she remembered falling asleep. Frowning, she looked around for Gladiolus, who she was certain had fallen asleep before her after they had sat down by the fire. There was no sign of him so she sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes and getting a better idea of what was around her. Her attention was drawn to the river, hearing splashing over there and she stood up, walking toward the edge of the haven. Smiling, Athenacia cocked her head to the side, getting a better look at the large man. The massive bird that occupied his entire back was very well detailed. Her eyes ran over the feathers that started at the tail and worked her way up toward the wings. They fanned out across his arms, stopping just short of his wrists. She knew the head of the bird came over his left shoulder to reside on his chest, watching every movement. The curve in the wing engulfed his other shoulder. It wasn't like she had never seen it before but it was a long time since she had the chance to admire it, to admire him. Her smile grew, an idea forming in her mind.

Gladiolus let out a sigh as the last of the water washed over him, moving to stand tall but nearly lost his footing, grunting as something hard collided with his back. The Shield was on one knee with his hand in the running water, relaxing once he realized there was no immediate threat to him or the others. Small arms were wrapped around his neck firmly but did not cut off his oxygen supply. There were also bare legs that came around his abdomen, holding on for dear life it seemed. The right foot had a very familiar tattoo of a tribal sun. Once he had steadied himself, he smirked. Gladio could feel Athenacia's face buried into the nape of his neck, her grip tightening once he was up and standing again. He brought his hand up to her arms, attempting to break them apart, however, her hold was firm, locked in place. Quickly he realized the only way to tear it open would be to break the bone and he wasn't going to do that. Amber hues moved down to her ankles, noting the same sort of situation. The large man reached back over one shoulder, finding the scabbed skin of the cut that was on her shoulder blade but abandoned that quickly, not wanting to agitate the wound and slow down the healing process. Instead, he went for the other shoulder, prodding his fingers around until he found a spot just underneath her torso that made her flinch and squeal. His grin grew as he again poked at that same spot, only causing her to cry in protest against his neck. Finally, her left arm jerked to protect that tender spot and he used that moment to swiftly capture it with his right hand, stopping her from initiating her hold once more. Now the ankles. Luckily that would be simple since her toes were highly ticklish. Clearly she had forgotten about that. It was quick, just a simple graze against them with his hand and her legs were down violently.

The sudden movement left his stance compromised and the water had shifted whatever was holding him in place. Gladio slipped, falling sideways and quickly pulled the woman he was holding so that she was against his chest, his hand sheltering her head from any impact; because as soon as he fell with her, the current carried them both down away from the haven. The Shield tensed as he felt himself hit by rocks and other obstacles in the water, however, he couldn't risk reaching out to stop them or Athenacia would be left unprotected. The man had to jerk his body accordingly as he rode it out until the very end. When they did finally reach some solid ground he rolled onto his back, relaxing his grip upon her. The sounds of her laughter made him grin, both of them thoroughly soaked to the bone but the chill of the water didn't seem to affect them at the moment. Gladiolus watched as she came into view above him, bringing her right arm to rest on the other side of his chest on the ground. Still giggling, her arms shoot as wet tendrils dripped onto his neck and obscured her face. He reached up with his right arm and carefully tucked away the hair behind her ear, leaving his hand to linger there as she mimicked his movements on her other side - only her hand went back to holding herself up after wiping water from her unblemished eye.

"Geeze, Doc, you tryin' to kill me?" he kept the grin on his face.

That only caused another fit of giggles to erupt from her. Athenacia looked down shyly a moment, biting her lip slightly before returned her hazel gaze toward him. He kept the back of his fingers underneath the left side of her chin, his thumb grazing against the scabbed cut on her cheek.

"Hi," was all she managed.

Gladio raised a brow and she began to laugh harder. It was infectious, as he could only chuckle while she struggled to catch her breath in between laughs. Pulling her down, he kissed her softly. Her giggling subsided but the bright smile remained on her face, noting her bottom lip shivered slightly as he kissed her again.

"Cold?" he asked.

"A bit," she replied.

The Shield smirked again, quickly grabbing her and turning so that he was now above her. Athenacia squealed in delight, laughing again as he held himself close to her. He captured those lips once more, his left hand beside her head as his right worked its way underneath her arm and held her left shoulder. Her left arm came around his neck as she held herself against him to deepen their kiss.

"I'll warm you up," he said with a wolfish smile.

His breath caught in his throat when he again watched those small white teeth claim her bottom lip. Her right hand had worked its way slowly down to the small of his back from his shoulder. The look in her eye told him that she was very happy with the service he was prepared to offer her, releasing her bottom lip and he took it, lowering himself so he could press his body against hers. Athenacia took in a deep breath through her nose as she pulled him closer, his lips travelling underneath her left ear, which caused small moans to erupt from her mouth. Gladio moved the straps down on her shoulder as he went further down, his hand firmly running the length of her body, grabbing her left rear cheek before his elbow collided gently with her knee when she lifted her leg in an attempt to pull him closer with her thigh. He was drunk with the scent that was her, of lilac with a hint of vanilla. The sounds of her soft moans in his ear only fueled him further, her hands urging him to continue. The man was getting so much closer to the wet skin of her breast, just finally reaching the top of the soft bump. The way she ground her hips into him was a huge distraction, managing to graze the top of his most sensitive flesh. His left hand was caressing whatever part of her face he could reach while he was resting on his forearm. Her fingers on his left shoulder blade dug into him with his every movement. He was about to pull away the clothing that hid her left breast, ready to capture it.

"If you two are quite finished your childish horseplay I could use your assistance!"

The voice of a very irritated Ignis stopped them dead in their tracks. Athenacia froze like a deer in headlights, her eyes shooting open in horror. Gladiolus grunted angrily, unhappy at how habit forming this seemed to become. Lifting his head from her shoulder, he shielded her body to help keep her modesty as his amber gaze met the stern look of his friend. Ignis did not look happy whatsoever at the way he found them. While Gladiolus felt that this was none of his business, his brain started to remind him of where they were and why this was inappropriate. Still, he didn't have to be happy about it. Ignis turned to walk away then, allowing them to regain their composure. Gladio pulled up the strap he had removed and lifted himself into a sitting position. He couldn't help but smile at her crimson face as she tried to fix her own embarrassment, rising to his feet and offering her a hand to help her up. Athenacia took it but kept her gaze downward. That was the way she looked the entire time they walked back to camp with her small hand in his own.


	42. Internal Mechanics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for your support! i sound like a broken record but i really don't know how to express my gratitude!

Gladiolus and Athenacia were of no assistance to Ignis whatsoever. While she was still wearing her crimson face at being caught in that compromising position, her lips were blue as the chill of the water had finally completely settled in. Gladio built up the fire while the Adviser draped a large warm blanket over her shoulders. She smiled briefly in thanks as she sat close to the warm flames and shivered as she hugged herself, only her head sticking out. Athenacia couldn't face him and it was only worse when Gladiolus had joined her on the hard ground and wrapped her up in his massive arms. Her face was warm since it was all kinds of red in embarrassment, however, he was rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm her quicker.

The physician could feel the chilly stare that Ignis was giving them but she kept her gaze on the flames as the light above them grew brighter. It had been a long time since she felt like a child in trouble for enjoying herself. Even Cor never gave her that kind of look before. Athenacia had stopped shivering and that's when the large man left her side. Still, she kept her eyes on the fire before her, hearing the sounds of Ignis beginning to prepare breakfast for them, while Gladiolus initiated his work out - his way of getting warm. Her eyes drifted toward him, watching as he moved but she would tear her gaze away the second he looked at her. The girl shoved her blanket up under her nose to hide the smile that formed the last time he caught her looking.

The morning grew later and with it the appearance of Iris and Prompto. The gunman chose not to question why Athenacia was sitting on the ground wrapped up in a blanket with wet hair. The air around her seemed quite tense and he didn't want to get a scolding from Gladiolus for bothering his girlfriend. Instead, he directed his attention elsewhere. Iris, however, was completely oblivious as to how uncomfortable the young doctor was and didn't fear her brother much at all. She looked at the doctor with a confused frown.

"Did you fall in the river?" asked Iris suddenly.

The crimson shade returned to Athenacia's face at the question and she shook her head vehemently from side to side, keeping her eyes on the flames before her. Meeting the gaze of the young Amicitia would betray the information she was trying to keep secret.

"Why is your hair wet?" asked Iris, a little confused.

This was not helping Athenacia calm her embarrassment, in fact, the further the girl probed into it the more she was likely to just drown herself in the river. Seemed a lot better than having to deal with this right now.

"Took a tumble," interjected Ignis, walking over the woman with a mug and handed it to her.

Athenacia looked up at him helplessly, only able to accept his offering. The liquid inside was warm and she knew that he had made it in order to help raise her body temperature. Again she gave a small smile in thanks as she let the hot fluid rush down her throat. It had a sort of minty taste, which wasn't altogether bad and she was sure there was some sort of caffeine in it.

"The fault is my own, I hadn't been aware of my surroundings and managed to collide with her," Ignis lied for her.

" _You_  weren't paying attention?" questioned Prompto in disbelief.

"Dr. Virum is quite capable of moving about without a sound. Hard to notice and I was just waking up."

Prompto laughed, "I can't wait to tell Noct that you made a mistake."

Ignis sighed, walking away from her and back toward his cooking station while Athenacia found the amused look of Gladiolus. He only winked at her, which caused her to again turn that dark shade of red. The girl pointedly looked back into the fire, continuing to sip at the drink provided to her by Ignis. What was she thinking anyway? Obviously, she wasn't or she wouldn't have allowed her to get herself into that sort of position in the first place. Taking him away from his job was mistake number one, she'd have to keep her distance from him until they were outside of this place and safe in Caem.

Thankfully the morning progressed without any more inquiries about to her well being. Athenacia remained under that blanket until her clothes were dry and she was no longer cold. Breakfast was enjoyed close to the fire for her, no extra seats anyway with the Prince awake and she didn't mind being on the ground anyway. Once she was finished, Iris took her plate from her and helped Prompto do the dishes. Athenacia took that opportunity to go fix herself up a bit, walking into the tent and looking quickly for her pile of things that were off in one corner. Opening up her med bag, she replaced the two syringes into her pocket that she had shed for the night before putting her hair back up into a bun at the back of her head. It was still somewhat damp but at least she wasn't cold anymore. Once that was settled she put her bands back on, the ones on her upper arms and thigh and secured the gauntlet on her left hand as well as the leather fingerless glove on the right. Sighing, she stretched a bit of the kinks out from last nights slumber after her boots were laced up, closing up her bag and grabbed her weapon before vacating the tent. There was nothing else she needed to do in there.

Athenacia went to sit near the edge of the haven, crossing her legs under her and placed her med bag down beside her with her gladius on her lap. Carefully, she pulled it out of its sheath and inspected it in as much of the sunlight she could see. Running her thumb along the edge, she looked for any nicks she might have to repair before dipping the blade into the water, letting it wash over it. She took out her cloth and wiped it clean, finally satisfied with it.

"That is mean looking," remarked Noctis.

She looked up at him, hating that she hadn't even sensed his presence, "I guess," she shrugged.

"Why does it have that hook on the end?"

She smiled, "Have you ever been stabbed?"

He looked thoughtful, "Can't say I really have."

"Well, getting stabbed isn't much of an issue. It's when the blade comes out that you have all sorts of problems. Leaving it in is the best thing you can do until you get medical attention. This hook makes taking it out a lot more painful than leaving it in."

"Whoa."

"The further it goes in the more the hook catches. I stick this in your stomach, your intestines come out with it."

The Prince nearly blanched at what she was saying and Athenacia only smiled, his weak stomach unable to comprehend the idea. His blue orbs were on the blade in near wonder, however, following it as she put it back in its sheath.

"Why?" he asked finally.

Athenacia rose from her seat, leaving her things out of the way, "I'm a doctor, the internal mechanics of people fascinate me," she shrugged. She smiled at the look he was giving her, "While I was in the war I was still studying anatomy. I helped develop weapons that tore apart the insides of things: humans, beasts, daemons, MT's. This was one of my creations. I found it was easier to kill something when it was dying from the inside out."

"That's... morbid."

Her smile turned sad as her eyes hardened, "It's war. We did what we had to, whether we were proud of it or not..."

Noctis had nothing as she left him there. He wasn't even sure how to respond to that anyway.

The girl walked toward Iris, pulling out the ball of those grey and black striped fingerless gloves she had mended overnight. The girl looked at her curiously as the doctor approached. Athenacia placed them in her hands, waiting for her to put them on. Iris did, noticing the difference right away. Grabbing the young girl's hands, the physician tested the firmness of her work by pressing her thumbs along the knuckles with a thoughtful frown.

"I hate setting broken bones without a proper scan. This should help," said Athenacia.

Iris nodded as she felt for herself the cushions that were rubbing against her knuckles, "Thank you."

...

It took a little bit to break up the campsite but no one was really complaining. Athenacia had long since abandoned her earlier embarrassments and pointedly stayed away from Gladiolus. When they were finally ready she strapped her weapon across her back and put her med bag on top of it. No one had any complaints thus far so they plunged into the chilly river, going forward. Athenacia fell in step with Iris once more, feeling the chill on her feet through her boots as she was stuck walking against the current and uphill. Once they had reached some flat surface there was a swarm of enemies near them. A few wasps, mandrakes and one shieldshear. This was going to be quite a morning work out it seemed. Unsheathing her weapon, she attached the band to her wrist, getting a firm grip on it. She assessed her exits, her advantages and what sort of remedies she might need. First, she would have to wait until she saw how they would all spread out before she knew what move she needed to solve this issue. It did look as if it could get a bit overwhelming.

They plunged into battle. Athenacia slowly stalked along the edge, keeping her eyes peeled for her way in. Iris assisted with her potions where needed but she wasn't just a healer, with those gloves she had an easier time landing her punches and not recoiling as badly as yesterday. She was also more confident in herself. Gladiolus grabbed her hands effortlessly lifting her into the air so she could strike with her feet. Impressive, they worked together well. Now it was just the young doctor's turn to figure out what she was going to do. The biggest variable was Prompto's gun. When Athenacia found her opening it was near Ignis. That man was never too far from Noctis and neither was Gladio, however, this time he was more so on the edge than before. The doctor slashed at a wasp that found its way toward her and used that momentum to deter a mandrake that was making its way to the young man's back. Ignis caught her movements briefly, keeping at the work he was doing. Once he ducked down she used that opportunity to lay her back against his, flipping herself from one side to the other and stopping the injured wasp from getting to him. Athenacia had studied most of his moves and was easily able to help him without being in his way, noting how they had similarities to her own. Deflecting the mandrake with her gauntlet, she then hacked once more at the wasp while he finished them both off, coming in from the sky it seemed.

The former Glaive moved on from the scene, seeing the swarm among Gladiolus, Prompto and Noctis. Slashing at a mandrake and using it to launch herself into the air, she twisted and flipped until her feet landed on the ground to stop the shieldshear from hitting the Prince's back. Gladio used his massive greatsword to free it off her wrist and she ducked out of the way as he swung again. Her sights were focused on the air where the poisonous wasps resided and she twisted out of the way of one that came at her. Athenacia did a back handspring with her free left hand and then launched her gladius towards it, flicking her wrist to the right. Her body lifted off the ground, going up far above the wasp. When she was ready she shot herself spiralling down to hit it, causing it to lose some consciousness. Keeping her arms around herself, she quickly jerked not only her arms but her legs as well, head down and eyes closed as chains from her bands on arms and thighs began to whip around in the circular pattern she had started herself into. The girl was still coming down swiftly but the spikes on the lengths of her chains were greatly injuring everything on the way.

"Down!" she heard Ignis command.

Athenacia kept spinning, only gaining momentum as she plunged her way down with the wasp beneath her. All the blows delivered were finally felt when she was low enough to hit mandrakes. They screamed in protest but she kept going until she was finally on the ground, jerking her limps the opposite way so the spikes began to lay flat against the chains as they fell lifeless to the ground. When she retracted the one for her gladius it thoroughly killed the wasp she had used as a platform to get to where she was. The girl looked around her, happy she hadn't injured anyone along the way. There was only the shieldshear left and the men took it on by themselves while she carefully stepped out of the way. Athenacia began to retract the chains for her bands, watching to make sure they wouldn't hit anyone. Once she had them all back securely in place she let her gladius wash off in the water at her feet. The shieldshear was defeated, the boys very pleased with themselves.

"That was so cool!" said Prompto, looking at her.

"Where do you even hide those things?" asked Noctis, grabbing onto the band on her right arm.

She only laughed, "A woman needs her secrets," was all she offered.

The two boys were very sullen about that answer but it didn't take long before they were on their way forward. Athenacia again fell in beside Iris as they walked up the slope beside the waterfall. The scenery was nice, too bad it was infested with monsters around it. As they ascended the higher the sun began to shine brighter and she let out a deep breath, out of shape after all the uphill she had been doing. Iris was still beside her, the young girl probably handling this a lot better. One thing was for certain, Athenacia was getting older every day. Once they had reached the top it was much easier to see the sun. Danger was all around her as they stepped out of the thicket and into a clearing. The doctor stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes came to rest on the Bandersnatch that was patrolling the area, looking in awe as she had never seen one in real life before. It hadn't noticed them yet and she suddenly felt very nervous for the upcoming battle, shedding her med bag and leaving it safely out of the way.

"Not surprised," scoffed Noctis.

"It's what we came for," stated Gladiolus.

"Let's have it," declared Ignis fiercely.

Athenacia held her weapon tightly as she waited. Noctis began the battle, warping to make the first hit and they all burst into life. Gladiolus ran up to his charge with Ignis not too far away. Iris took her position on the sidelines, keeping watch for when her assistance was needed. Prompto slid - literally - into the action. Athenacia was quick to join them after a quick scan of her surroundings and wished to stay near the rear end, hacking at the poorly defended hindquarters. The issue, of course, was the massive tail that seemed to be armoured on its own. When it would come toward her she ducked out of the way, using her gauntlet as a shield when needed. They were all focused on different spots but she knew that the biggest weakness would be to hit an artery. The massive blood loss would slow it down considerably, so she kept her focus on that while dodging attacks. The tail grazed her leg, making her grunt, however, was coming back around at an alarming rate. Gladiolus was there with his massive greatsword, blocking it and allowing her to quickly scurried out of the way. The large man rolled away as well, getting to his feet instantly. Athenacia slashed again at the back legs before being forced to move out of harm's way once more. This time she opted to go underneath, hitting the soft underbelly with her blade along her path.

The Bandersnatch was incredibly quick despite its size. The physician was going to have to do some major triage after this fight, that was for sure. Currently she couldn't feel any of her injuries but she knew where they were, blood trickling down the right side of her face. From the steady stream, she deduced it was only a minor laceration, nothing a quick fix wouldn't solve and went back to observing the movements of her enemy while acting accordingly. Athenacia would have to slow it down a different way and there was only one she could think of. Raw strength was out of the question - but with enough speed, it wouldn't make much of a difference. Setting her jaw, she jumped out of the way again, landing on her feet before launching her gladius once more, allowing the chain to extend from her wrist. The blade struck right near the left shoulder blade, stuck in there firmly. It was a good spot to start from, utilizing the shock on the beast to begin her run and sliding under to wrap the chain around the leg. Noctis deflected the other claw from getting to her and she used his back to push herself up and bring the chain around the neck of the beast. Athenacia kept up her momentum and slid underneath the abdomen. Ignis offered her a hand as she came back and she again was in the air and on the other side of the monster. Sliding once more, she was at the back of the leg and Gladiolus ducked down allowing her to use his leverage to wrap herself around the other leg firmly.

The doctor was on her feet and quickly flicked her wrist to the left. The spikes came out in their full force, the scream of the beast filling their ears. However, it was still much bigger than her, no way for her to hold it in place and the shock of what she had just done caused the animal to not only shriek, but try to run away from the source of the pain. Athenacia was jerked violently off of her feet as it began its trek. The call of her name followed her in the distance as she was dragged on the ground by her right wrist. Quickly she began to busy herself to detach the armband, proving difficult with objects on the ground hitting her with every step the creature took. Finally, she was successful and unarmed when she got to her feet - so there was no way to defend herself from the tail that came around and hit her square in the sternum and pushed her quickly into a nearby tree.

Athenacia grunted in pain at the impact, sliding down until she was flat in the grass. Gasping, she was desperately trying to will air into her lungs despite the pain she felt all over her body. Her eyes began to flicker between red and normal. No, no this couldn't happen. Not now. She could feel a rushing in her ears, the sounds of fighting distant. Her eyes were still flashing red. This was not good, she had to stop this before it started. If she didn't get this under control she would kill them all and she'd never be able to live with herself. Reaching into her pocket, she managed to pull out one of the syringes. The physician tried to calm herself as she fumbled around to get the cap off of the needle. Once it was free she jammed it into her leg, throwing it as far away from herself as possible when it was empty and rolling so that no one would see it. Her world grew black instantly and she lost consciousness with one last flicker of red.

...

The physician took in a sharp breath as she opened her eyes. It was hard to intake the air but a necessary requirement. If she had the dosage right then she was out for no more than three minutes in order to recollect herself. After the last time she had to do this she found that she was out far longer than was safe while wandering around alone. Now she had it so that she was gone long enough to reset herself before being able to wake up normal again, however, given how injured she was it was best to avoid as many blows as she could. Athenacia wasn't exactly sure it would work a second time and so soon, never really had the luxury of testing it, nor would she start now with all these people that could potentially die in her wake.

It took her a moment to figure out where she was but was quick on her feet once she had. The Bandersnatch was still active though on its last legs, her last attack doing some real damage. Still a bit light-headed from the medication, Iris was there with a potion, bless her. The young girl looked genuinely worried and Athenacia had a look back at the tree she had hit, understanding why. There was quite a bit of damage to the bark, she hit it quite hard. No wonder she was having trouble breathing, she would have to check for a concussion later, perhaps a cracked rib. But now wasn't the time, quickly assessing the situation before her. Athenacia saw the shine of her own weapon sticking out of the shoulder of the enemy. The spikes were still dug into the flesh, which was severely hindering its moves. Noctis, Ignis and Gladiolus were hacking away. The Prince warped where he needed to while the other two kept up their assault. Something seemed to be missing from this picture, about to go and join them when Iris held onto her arm firmly. That seemed very unnecessary but she complied with the young girl's wishes, knowing that rushing back into battle unarmed was not a good idea. It was just such a natural instinct, muscle memory from her time in the war. Now the magic was no longer with her, it was unlikely she'd be of any help to them anyway.

Finally, after all the hacking, whacking and slashing, the beast was slain. Athenacia felt the ground beneath her shake as the large carcass fell, breathing a sigh of relief before walked toward it. Shimmers of blue in her peripherals meant that their weapons were dismissed, But hers was still sticking out of the Bandersnatch and she was lucky it didn't fall on the side she had struck it. There was no way she could move it around to free it, grabbing onto the small handle and pulling hard until it was finally free. It came with some entrails as well, courtesy of the hook. Her chain was still attached to the body, wrapped up. That was not going to be fun to detach.

"You okay?" asked Gladiolus as he came to stand next to her.

"I'll live," she answered lightly.

Athenacia began to pull on the chain but to no avail. She would have to find the end first and dismiss her spikes before she had a chance of getting it back. It would be somewhere near the back legs on the ground so that's where she went first, having to leave behind the gladius. Finally spotting it, she placed it back on her wrist and flicking it left. The spikes went to lay flat again against the metal and she then flicked her wrist to the right, commanding it to retract. Removing the band, she groaned when it got stuck, taking a step forward to assist it back to its proper place. That was, until it was pulled through. Frowning, she looked over at her weapon and saw Gladiolus holding it with one finger, giving her a smug look. Athenacia watched as the armband came once again to sit against the hilt, smiling in thanks at him as he walked towards her. It was so small that only two of his fingers could fit around the handle, but it wasn't made for him so that didn't really matter at all. Graciously she took it from him, knowing she would have to clean it off before sheathing it. She was about to pull out her cloth when a very abrupt scream stopped her in her tracks.

"Prompto!"

Iris cried out as she encountered the gunman.  _That's_ what was missing. Athenacia snapped her head toward the source quickly, running before she could even think and reacting the way she was trained to do. Swiftly she made it to her med bag and then came to where Iris and Noctis were bent over. Athenacia slid onto her knees, coming up beside the young man and quickly assessed what was going on around her. Internally she gasped at the sight. Prompto was on his back like a starfish, severely injured and didn't look much like he was breathing. The doctor just hoped that she had the tools to fix him because she could not handle a fatality.


	43. Sphygmomanometer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much! i wish there was more i could do to show my appreciation!

Athenacia saw things in slow motion. She was aware of Noctis and Iris hovering over her, she was aware of Gladiolus coming to observe the scene. She was aware of Ignis kneeling down on the other side of the unconscious body. She was aware that she had minimal time to act. She was aware of the cries coming out of Iris's mouth. She was aware that all eyes were on her, waiting for her to make her move. She was aware that she might not have all the tools she needed to complete her task. She was aware that Prompto was barely moving right in front of her.

She was aware that she was the only one who could help him.

The doctor shook out of her reverie, unzipping her bag and pulling on her stethoscope. With the end on Prompto's chest, she listened intently. His breathing was laboured, his heart scarcely beating. Pulling out her penlight, she clicked it once and forcefully opened his eyes one at a time to shine the light in them. His pupils were responsive, that was a good sign. She listened again for any other abnormalities within him, trying to push out all the other distractions from her mind. Prompto took a massive hit and without knowing where or how she was unsure of how to proceed, so she was forced to diagnose.

Dr. Virum put on her latex gloves quickly, running the bends of her fingers firmly along his sternum. He was unresponsive. Immediately she began her compressions. His heart was barely beating and she had no idea what sort of rhythm he was in - she hadn't the time to listen thoroughly, nor did she have a monitor to help her. Iris was crying while the doctor worked. Athenacia was a combat medic, quick thinking was instilled into her when she was young, but it had been so long since she was in the field she was unsure of what to do right away. The feeble chest cavity beneath her meant she had to act fast because if she kept this up she would just end up fracturing one or more of his thoracic vertebrae, and she definitely didn't have the tools to fix any of that. Virum ceased her compressions and pressed her stethoscope back to his chest. The heart was still having trouble keeping up and she listened intently. It was faint, but she was sure she was hearing things right. Quickly she pulled out a small syringe from her bag, and swabbed quickly on the man's arm, finding the best spot possible before applying the epinephrine into the first vein she could find. Lucky for her most men had veins sticking out almost naturally. Placing the stethoscope back around her neck, she resumed her compressions, wondering how to solve the problem. There were no machines to help her along and nothing in her bag would give her the same sort of effect. If only she still had the use of the King's magic.

It dawned on her then. Athenacia may not be able to use black magic but there was someone here who could. It was risky, she was sure that he had never done it before but there was no help for it, he was their only shot to keep their friend alive. Dr. Virum looked up at the Prince, studying him a moment. The worry was written all over his face as he observed the scene before him. At least he would be motivated.

"Noctis," she caught his attention.

He snapped his head toward her, "Yeah?"

"I'm going to need your help," she began slowly.

"Me?" he was confused.

"Yes, you."

"What is it?"

"I need you to shock him."

"What?!" the confusion and horror at her instruction evident all along his face.

She didn't have time for this, "Ignis compressions," she commanded.

Ignis was quick to continue her work once she took her hands off. Athenacia stood facing the Prince with a serious look on her face. He looked scared. Iris was still crying as she watched them but the physician only had her eyes where they needed to be.

"You need to shock him or his heart is going to fail," said Dr. Virum slowly, but very seriously.

"Fail?! Like, stop beating?" his brows were knit with worry.

"Yes," she spared him no sympathy, there was no time for it.

"I-I can't," replied Noctis nervously.

"Can't I just do the thump thing?" asked Gladiolus.

She shook her head, "No. You'll collapse his chest cavity and then I'll have a whole new set of problems on my hands. It's even risky doing the compressions but so far the only thing that's keeping him alive."

Her eyes were on the Prince as she spoke. Noctis looked even more uncomfortable while she explained what was happening, averting his gaze back down at his friend as he processed what was going on. Virum placed her hands on each of his shoulders, gaining his attention once more. He found it difficult to face her, she was in full doctor mode, like the first time they had met. He knew she was good at what she did but how could she expect him to just intentionally shock Prompto? There had to be another way that she could fix the issue, he did not want to get involved whatsoever.

"Can't you do anything?" he pleaded with her desperately

"No. You need to do this. I don't have the magic anymore," she kept her professional tone.

"I could lend-"

"It has to be you," she cut him off, "It won't be hard, just a small shock to help his heart. I can take care of the rest afterward but you have to shock him. You're the only one that can do this," she held his gaze as she spoke.

Noctis was still very uncomfortable with the idea and she watched as his eyes went back to Prompto with that worried frown. It was evident he was thinking it over, however, the clock was ticking. They were running out of time. Dr. Virum needed a decision and she needed it now. He was so unfocused with the chaos around him she had no idea what to do, looking over at Gladiolus and mutely asking for a way to get the Prince to focus.

"Noct!" he bellowed.

Noctis snapped his attention back to her intent gaze. He nodded instantly.

"Okay," he agreed.

She nodded back at him once, "I'll tell you when. Just a small shock.

"Okay," he said a little more firmly.

Dr. Virum released his shoulders and knelt back down. She put her stethoscope back in her ears, readying herself as Noctis crouched down, preparing nervously to act on her command. Iris's cries had died down at the intensity of the moment before her. Athenacia had one last listen during the compressions and then pulled away. Ignis kept his eyes on her, waiting.

"Clear!" she shouted.

Ignis held his hands up away from the patient.

"Now!" she commanded.

Noctis held one finger out, just barely touching Prompto. The magic was overshot, but that was fine because the second he was finished the young gunman shot up into a sitting position with a wail of surprise. The blond was stunned, taking in the scene before him with genuine curiosity. Athenacia breathed a sigh of relief, as did the others while she observed the man before her.

"It worked!" cried Noctis in disbelief.

"What worked?" asked Prompto, "What's going on?"

"You suffered quite a near fatal injury," supplied Ignis.

"I did?"

"Yeah you did. You were almost a goner," said Noctis.

"Huh," he shrugged.

Dr. Virum replaced her stethoscope in her ears as she had another listen. This time she forced her arm down his shirt in order to get a better listen to his heart. Prompto looked a little uneasy at her abrupt actions but didn't budge at all, even when she moved to his bare back with that same intent look on her face.

"Normal sinus rhythm, lungs are clear," she said absently to herself.

The physician went back into her med bag and pulled out a sphygmomanometer, carefully wrapping the cuff around his upper right arm. The scope was placed on the inner elbow, right at the brachial artery. Grabbing the pump, she began to inflate the cuff around his arm tightly, keeping her eye on the meter while listening to the artery as she relieved the pressure slowly. Satisfied, she removed the scope from his elbow and unlatched the cuff, placing it back into her bag.

"BP normal," she said lightly.

With the scope around her neck and still observing him, she placed her hands on his clavicle, pushing in the bone slightly. Prompto only looked confused at her actions as she began to move her probing fingers down each of his thoracic membrane. He winced at the third on the right side and she frowned, pushing on it again. Clearly he was uncomfortable with her action, however, when she pushed below it there was no reaction. Virum poked on all sides but only that one spot seemed to be an issue. No fracture, just bruising. Good. She finished checking all his ribs, happy there was no damage and began to gently push on his abdomen, grateful that there were no abnormalities that she could feel there. Grabbing her penlight, she shone it in his eyes once more, happy that his pupils were still responsive. Finally, she held her right index finger in front of his face.

"Follow my finger with your eyes only," she instructed.

Dr. Virum moved it to the left and his blue orbs were trained on her while she watched him. Then, she moved her finger slowly toward the right before bringing it back to the middle, moving it up and then down. Though his eyes were able to follow her, they were slightly glazed over.

"Now with your entire head," she said softly

Repeating the process, she noted the discomfort when he moved, making her frown and not liking the looks of it. The physician brought her hands to feel the nodes underneath his chin. He winced at her prodding and she wished she was in a hospital with a scanner, but this was how she learned to do medicine in the first place, without machines. Virum brought her probing fingers to the back of his head and that confirmed it for her.

"Can you tell me your name?" she asked, studying his face.

He laughed, "Did you forget?"

"Please just answer the question," she replied in her professional tone.

"Prompto Argentum," he replied, a little confused.

"Your age?"

"20."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Gladio's girlfriend."

"What's my name?"

"Athenacia Virum."

"How did we meet?"

"You stitched up the big guy in the clinic."

She nodded in approval, "Do you know where you are?"

"Malmalam Thicket."

"Do you know the people around you?"

"Yeah," he was only more confused as she kept asking questions.

"Who is this man?" she pointed at the Prince.

"Noct."

"Full name."

"Noctis Lucis Caelum."

"How did you meet?"

"In school."

Dr. Virum nodded approvingly, "Short term and long term memory intact," she spoke mostly to herself, "Touch your nose with your left index finger," she instructed. He complied with her wishes, "Okay, now the right," he managed it perfectly. She held her hand up front of him, "Take my hand," she instructed. The patient grabbed it with his right, "Squeeze my fingers as hard as you can," he looked uneasy but did as he was told and she nodded, keeping that professional look on her face, "Okay, now the other one," he released his grip and repeated the process with his left hand. Satisfied, she moved down, taking hold of both his thighs firmly with her hands and squeezed gently, "Do you feel this?" she asked. He nodded at her so she moved down to the knees, "And this?" again he nodded and she went to the fibulas, "And this?" he gave her another nod. and she gripped the toes of his right boot, "Wiggle your toes," he looked focused as he did so. She was happy she could feel them, letting go of that one and gripped onto the left, "And these ones," he complied with no issues. Moving back to her original position, she was mostly satisfied, "No contusion evident along the cerebral cortex," she noted to herself, "No sign of hemorrhaging. Well, looks like after this you've got some lacerations, contusions and a serious concussion."

"How serious?"

Athenacia grabbed a vial from her bag, taking out a fresh syringe and putting the wrapper back in her back. Removing the cap, she stuck it into the vial, flipping the small bottle upside down and on the plunger to a very specific amount before placing the vial back into its place. Swabbing the same spot she had applied the epinephrine, she administered the medication with ease.

"Put it this way, you are likely not sleeping tonight," she replied gently.

"Are you sure? I feel fine."

Not two seconds after he had spoken he leaned over and vomited all over her bare thighs. Athenacia sighed as the liquid bile splattered off of her. Some of it splashed onto her face, some of it on her chest and dirty shirt, some of it back onto himself. Luckily she had managed to close the bag before he dirtied her medical supplies. Everyone was stunned at what just happened in front of them.

"Prompto!" growled Gladiolus angrily.

"I am  _so_ sorry," said Prompto in horror.

"No its fine," she replied dryly, "Not a normal day if a patient doesn't vomit on me," she grumbled mostly to herself.

Athenacia used her gloved hands to push most of the bile onto the grass in front of her, removing the dirty gloves and opening her bag once more. Grabbing the sanitizing wipes, she ran them along her legs until they were as clean as they were going to get before using another one for any other part of her skin that was faced the back splatter of Prompto's concussion. When she was finally finished, she closed up her bag and administer a potion to the young man so that they would be able to move without too much worry. She wiped her blade clean as well, sheathing it and putting her med bag onto her back. Unable to stand the stench of bile in her sensitive nose, she rose from her place and held her hand out to Prompto, who grasped her arm, slowly getting him to his feet. Sighing, she nearly caught another round of his vomiting and administered another potion when he was finished, hoping that would help him move until they found a safe place to rest. Iris hugged the young gunman with relief and Athenacia felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were met with the smiling face of Gladiolus and could only nod at him before keeping her observations on her patient.

"Noct, you might want to see this," said Ignis.

All of them looked toward what Ignis was speaking of. There in the distance, not far from where they stood was a very old looking building. Athenacia was sure she had seen something like it before, but not here, in a completely different setting. Squeezing her eyes shut, images of a red sky in front of a similar looking scene popped into her mind. Only there were cliffs around it instead of trees. She frowned, shaking off her thoughts as someone else began to speak.

"Score! It's all about that treasure!" said Prompto excitedly.

They walked to the building, Athenacia staying with her patient the entire time - who seemed to quite enjoy being flanked by both her and Iris. The physician watched as Noctis unlocked the door and stepped through, all of them following after her. The girl left her patient for only a moment to carefully observe her surroundings. This must be one of those tombs they were hunting, she could definitely feel a magical presence here, ancient and familiar. She wore a thoughtful look on her face while taking it all in. Her head snapped behind her as the light began to shine. Noctis had reached for his ancestor, which caused the dormant scepter lying there to light up. Athenacia watched in pure awe, shielding her eyes slightly while the weapon became transparent and then launched itself into his chest. Her mouth was slightly agape as more of these phantom weapons surrounded the Prince, other weapons he had gained long his journey. The power of Kings, just as Cor described to her as a child. They disappeared shortly after as if they had never been there in the first place. Truly remarkable.

As they walked back toward the tree cover of the thicket, Ignis managed to step on something that crunched like glass. Instantly he stopped a moment to look down, moving his right foot and frowning, seeing the cap of a needle and the broken fragments of one of Dr. Virum's syringes. Strange, he was sure he saw her place everything into a hazard bag in order to dispose of properly. Looking around, he spotted the damaged tree she had flown into at the hands of the beast. Curious. Keeping the frown on his face he continued on his journey, his eyes finding the back of said doctor with a whole new set of questions running through his mind.

...

Prompto appeared to be doing well thanks to the potions. They reached the entrance of the thicket much quicker given that there was no more threat. Their chocobos were waiting for them, grazing in the area not too far away. Athenacia watched like a hawk while Prompto got onto the back of his bird before mounting her own and then reached over to take his reins from his hand. No patient of hers was going to engage in foolish behaviour, not on her watch. Again they encountered no threats on the trek down. It was with relief that there was a nearby haven, and alhough it was still daytime they began to set up camp anyway. It would be easier for her to monitor Prompto and tend to the other injuries she had ignored. Athenacia dismounted, instructing Noctis to keep watch on his friend while she helped set up camp. The Prince was overly sullen since he came out of shock at this mornings activities. The girl knew the look well, having seen it plenty of times on the faces of other Glaives. She didn't comment on it, knowing that he wouldn't want to talk about it right now anyway.

Once everything was set up she brought her med bag to the first chair and shed it off of her back. Athenacia unstrapped the weapon as well, enabling her better mobility, opening up her bag and put on another set of latex gloves. The doctor began with Iris, who had the most minor of wounds since she stayed away from most of the fighting. Virum carefully pulled the gloves off of the girl's small hands, happy to see that the injuries hadn't worsened. There was really nothing to do for her so she was dismissed. Ignis was next, knowing that he would be fidgety until he could move. He removed his jacket, gloves and shirt and she could see contusions from where the beast had hit him and minor lacerations. The wounds applicable were and then he was sent his way. Gladiolus was next on her list. The Shield appeared to take the most damage but was handling it well, removing his shirt as she examined him. Multiple contusions, a few lacerations. One of the contusions almost indicated a fracture. Tender, as he grimaced while she prodded at his left ulna. But there was no fracture and that was always a good sign. She carefully cleaned up his wounds to prevent infection and administered a potion for good measure. Dr. Virum sent him away but not before he wiped the blood that had dried on her face and giving her a pointed look. She gave him a small smile before turning her attention to the Prince. His magic was already taking its course through him so there really wasn't much for her to do, however, noted his guilty look as he stole glances over at Prompto. Frowning, she chose not to comment on it at the present moment.

Athenacia breathed a sigh of relief once she was finished, collapsing onto the ground beside her bag. Carefully she removed her bands and gauntlet, placing them into the bag so that she knew where they were. She began to examine herself, wincing slightly here and there. Her sternum was a bit tender, that being where she had taken the biggest hit. Her back ached a bit as well and she was sure the effects of the potions were the only thing keeping her from crying out in pain. Luckily there was nothing too serious going on with her, everything she could quickly fix while alone during the night. Athenacia was very aware of the amber eyes watching her every movement but pointedly ignored them in order to continue to put distance between them. Distracting him from his duty was not allowed, even if they were just sitting at a haven. Closing her bag, a heavy wave of exhaustion coursed through her as she lied flat on the ground.

"You sure you're okay?" asked Gladiolus, who had come to sit in her former triage chair.

"I'm fine," she smiled up at him tiredly.

"You took quite a hit to."

"I have no concussion and if I was hemorrhaging I'd be dead by now."

He raised a brow, "I'll take your word for it I guess."

"I  _am_  the doctor here."

"Why don't you go rest a bit?"

She shook her head, "I have to observe my patient overnight."

"We can keep an eye on Prompto, Doc."

"You don't know what to look for."

Gladio frowned, unhappy with her decision. Athenacia was overwhelming herself taking care of patients, falling back into her old habits. He also knew that she was going a little out of her way to ignore him after this morning. It was his mistake, not hers, she shouldn't feel responsible for it whatsoever but he had no way of communicating that to her. Instead, he was forced to find a way to break the barrier she had placed upon herself.

"At least let me clean up your face. There's still blood on it," he said finally.

Athenacia returned to his gaze briefly before nodding slowly, showing no intention of moving so he joined her on the ground. Gladiolus opened up her bag, looking through the contents to find what he needed before gently lifted her head so that it was in his lap. Carefully he pulled away any hair from her face, all the while she kept her eyes on him. With a ginger tough, he began to wipe up the dried blood that had trickled down the right side of her face, rubbing his thumb along her left cheek and she closed her eyes, leaning into his hand a little so that he could gain better access on the other side. Finally, he came to the source of the bleed, just a small cut on her hairline above the temple. It wouldn't need stitching up but he cleaned it anyway. When he was finished he kept her face in his massive hands and she let her eyes flutter open as she turned her head back and looked up at him once more. How long had she slept last night? That purple eye was becoming more faint, lighter than he remembered. Pieces of the scab on her cheek were starting to flake off and he was absently rubbing the skin on her face with his thumb as her puffy, bloodshot eyes seemed to look through them in her exhaustion. He wanted her to know that she was also able to lean on him when she needed it.

The sound of Prompto vomiting had her up in an instant. Athenacia had her bag with her as she rushed to his side in order to monitor him, back to full doctor mode. Gladio sighed as he watched her, going back to sit in the chair. It was going to be a long night.


	44. Sad Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much! i cant wait to get further in, i'm so excited!

The sun was retreating into the horizon, causing the sky to be splashed with pinks, oranges and blues. Crickets chirped their ancient song and the breeze blew in the cool night air. The fire hissed and popped as it burned, providing warmth and light in the area. Athenacia sat in a chair beside Prompto. Noctis was on his other side, still looking guilty about something. Anyone who took notice just ignored it. Iris and Ignis were also in chairs while Gladiolus opted to take the ground. They had finished their meal, cleaned up and really had nothing to do besides wait for the sun to come back up. They were talking about the day's events, and old memories they had shared together - except for Athenacia, who stayed quiet and observed. The night air was filled with their laughter and teasing of each other. Iris had the look of pure happiness on her face, truly enjoying the time she got to spend with all of them. She too would be very sad when they parted ways in Caem.

Gladiolus was leaning against Athenacia's legs on her left side. While she was trying to put distance between them, he was attempting to reassure her that there was no need for that. She felt responsible for something he had initially started in the first place. The Shield had just gotten her to drop her guard after the trauma she suffered, he did not want her to pull away from him again. Her walls were some of the toughest to break and he seemed to have trouble staying inside of them, like she was afraid of something bad happening if she did let him in. So she fought against him - probably as a second nature - and she was a very worthy opponent. Good thing he was incredibly stubborn, however, she didn't want to deter him completely either. While keeping watch of Prompto and listening in on some of their fondest memories of growing up she had managed to slip her small fingers into the dark brown locks. Slowly she caressed the top of his head while having her fingers run through the hair gently. It was easy for her to tell it was helping with whatever tension had built up inside of him since they were reunited. Gladio was very good at keeping it to himself but she was better at seeing things that most people couldn't. She was sure that he would tell her on his own time what was going on, just as she knew he trusted her to confide in him when she felt that she could. Athenacia was a healer at heart and wished to ease his pain in any way that she could. Her feelings for him only amplified that need.

As the night wore on, the faithful trek to bed began. It started with Iris who vacated to her own tent first. Ignis was the next to leave, wanting a full nights rest since he was going to be the first to wake up in the morning. Gladiolus was dozing against Athenacia's legs still, not wanting to leave her touch just yet. Prompto was also drifting off in his chair while Noctis still had his solemn look on his face as he stared into the dancing flames. The doctor had almost a similar look, neither of them speaking, not wanting to wake the others nor really knowing what to say anyway. It had been quite an eventful day. Gladiolus fell into a deeper sleep, light snores erupting from him, gained the attention of the woman he was resting against. Athenacia leaned forward, having a look at his peaceful face. The corners of her mouth twitched into a small smile, bringing her right forefinger to the bridge of his nose and ran it down the length, all the way to the tip lightly, causing him to stir. She repeated her actions until finally, he came to swat her hand away. When that didn't work he opened his eyes, realizing what was going on. He met her calm gaze and she only jerked her head toward the tent lightly. Releasing a heavy sigh, he pushed his forehead against hers a moment before getting up and going to bed.

That only left the Prince. Athenacia rose from her seat as well, taking another round of Prompto's vitals with her tools. They were normal and he had managed to hold a conversation since his injury, so it was probably safe to let him sleep. Noctis watched her every movement, right until she was settled back in her seat. The girl returned her gaze to the dancing flames in front of her, feeling exhausted already. Her body hurt from all the activity today. Once he had gone she could heal herself properly. Maybe she could get a nap in the truck, that would be nice.

"How did you do it?" asked Noctis.

Athenacia looked over at him curiously. It seemed he was waiting for this moment the entire night. Prompto was passed out and everyone else had gone to bed but only he remained, with that look of guilt he had been wearing since they left the thicket. She had wondered if he was going to say anything at all, was surprised that he managed it. What's more, she didn't know why he was choosing to have this conversation with her. It wasn't like the two of them were close at all. While she enjoyed his company and was able to carry a conversation with him, her troubled past had always led her to keep her distance from him.

"Do what?" she kept her voice light.

"How did you watch them die?"

The girl sighed, taking her gaze away and leaned back in her seat, trying to think of the best way to answer his question. Images of the battlefield and lost souls came to her mind: the trying times of war, friends bloodied and beaten dying in her arms, the smell of decaying flesh and sounds of screams all around her. That red sky, daemon eyes and azure glow that overtook everything. Athenacia quickly pushed all that away, her gaze still hard as she stared into the flames, flames that took everything away with their simple touch. Her fist tightened though she did not let him see it.

"I didn't handle it very well. I walked away, remember?" she spoke finally.

"But after a long time."

"True. Nothing can really prepare you for something like that. It never got easier, there just wasn't a choice. We always went in knowing we might not come back out, trained to fight like it was our last day. I have my limitations and sometimes that always forced me to come to terms with it."

Athenacia saw his face harden at her words. Clearly she was not helping the situation whatsoever but what did he really want from her? She was a coward mostly, never wanting to fight in the first place and opted to run away whenever she got the chance. However, this wasn't something she could just up and leave from, she had to tell him the truth because if he didn't realize this then he may very well make a big mistake. The physician truly wished that he hadn't asked her about it. Ordinarily, she wouldn't talk about her past or anything to do with it but she felt she was left without a choice after serving his father for so many years.

"If you weren't here... Prompto he..." he couldn't speak.

Immediately she understood what he was saying. This was the closest he had gotten to losing someone in front of him. The reality she had spoken of weighed heavily on him for the first time, a sad realization. Noctis was so preoccupied with the grief he carried around from losing his home. There was so much put on him all at the same time, she was truly impressed with how he was holding it together - even if it was just barely. Athenacia understood why King Regis did not want to burden his son with maintaining a wall against the Empire. He was simply too young, just a child. Of course, that was besides the point of being the Chosen King.

"Next time-"

"Stop," she commanded, "If you go into something thinking you'll fail then that's exactly what you'll do."

"I don't want anyone else to die."

"I wish I could say that they won't. I wish I had the power to stop it."

"So do I."

"But you do. That's why you're the Chosen."

The Prince looked unhappy to hear that. They were silent again, both of them gazing at the dancing flames before them. Athenacia waited for him to speak again, knowing that this conversation wasn't over. There was nothing she could do for him, not knowing exactly how to help him since she had no idea what he had been through. Until she had been dating Gladiolus for a while in the city, she really had no idea where he was and how he got there and it seemed as time went on she was just discovering more about him that was supposed to be a story.

"Why me?"

His question caused her to laugh without actually meaning to. Noctis looked at her in alarm and she gave him an apologetic look, trying to stop her giggles. Athenacia wasn't sure she hadn't heard someone ask "Why me?" when they were faced with something they felt was impossible. As soon as he had asked she clearly saw in her head the child that was described to her by Gladiolus and the others, catching a glimpse of the memories everyone besides her shared for herself.

"Why not you?" she replied with a smile still on her face.

"What does that mean?"

"You inspire people. You bring out the best in them without even trying. They gravitate toward you. They believe in you. I believe in you and I never even thought it was all real, just a children's bedtime story."

The Prince held a thoughtful frown at her words. Athenacia watched him as he tore his gaze from her, going back to the fire and she internally sighed, only being reminded of why she never did psychology. Flesh and bones were much easier.

"No one else should have to put themselves in danger for me," he said sullenly.

"Everyone knows the risks," she replied, "They made that choice themselves. You can't feel guilty because you never made them do it."

Noctis sighed, looking even more upset than before. The physician turned her eyes toward her patient instead, monitoring him and missed her nurses for things like this. Glancing over at the solemn Prince, she wished there was a way for her to help him. He was just a child, he wasn't ready for the burden placed upon him. Without another word, he got up and went into the tent under her calm hazel stare, sighing at the reality of his situation.

...

The next morning Gladiolus woke up to both Prompto and Athenacia sleeping in their chairs. Ignis and Iris were already up getting breakfast ready while Noctis was still sleeping in his tent. The fire was burning down which meant that the young doctor really was up most of the night keeping watch over her patient, shoes off and underneath the chair. Her hair was down, falling against her softly as her chest rose and fell gently, her head limp against the back of the chair, falling toward the left and allowing him a glimpse of the scar on her neck. Gladio ran his eyes over it quickly before stretching and taking a peek at the morning sky. Everything seemed calm and crisp.

Looking over at the doctor once more, he noted she was beginning to twitch. The Shield recognized the signs, she was in the middle of one of her nightmares, face in distress but no one else seemed to take notice. Gladio walked over there, nodding at his sister and Ignis as he passed by. Athenacia began to jerk her head this way and that, her eyes shut tightly. Gladiolus watched as she seemed to be in more pain the longer it went on. He reached for her right hand, holding the balled up fist gently he noted she felt abnormally hot, more than she usually did but she wasn't sweating. Athenacia took in quick shallow breaths, causing him to frown as he knelt down and took hold of her cheek. Gladio shook her gently in an attempt to wake her, skin growing warmer and warmer, causing him to worry.

"Doc," he nudged her slightly.

Athenacia didn't respond, only began to shake as tears started to fall from her Shield wiped them away, keeping a firm grip on her arm while he again tried to rouse her from her nightmare. There was sweat forming on his hand where he was touching her skin.

"Doc, wake up," he said a little louder.

Her shaking became more violent as more tears streamed down her face. Her body temperature kept rising and he was forced to let go of her hand before it burned him. By now Ignis and Iris had taken notice of what was going on, looking over concerned. They didn't move, however, waiting for a signal from the Shield before they acted.

"Doc!" he shouted, taking hold of her shoulders gently and trying to jerk her out of sleep.

Gladio couldn't hold onto her for long, grunting at the pain from the burn at her touch. Was she sick? Her entire body felt almost like it was going to burst into flames. Athenacia didn't show any signs of a fever, she wasn't even sweating, making it hard for him to understand what was happening to her. This did not seem like a normal nightmare and had no idea what he could do for her aside from trying to wake her up.

"Cia, wake up!" he tried again, desperately wishing to reach her.

The doctor cried out once, not appearing to hear him. Gladiolus was growling as he tried to stop her from falling out of her chair, pushing past the pain. All eyes were on them, except Prompto who was in a deep sleep and Noctis that remained in the tent. The Shield knew that Ignis was waiting at the ready for assistance if need be, knew that the Adviser was studying this in order to act accordingly.

"Athenacia!" he yelled loudly, his voice echoing all around him.

The girl took in a sharp breath, opening her eyes in alarm. Gladio was intent on her face, shaking his head slightly. For a moment it seemed like her eyes were more almond shaped and red. Must have been a trick of the light because he definitely only saw scared hazel eyes looked all around her. Tears poured out of them as she began to hyperventilate. Gladiolus held her shoulders gently, trying to get her to focus. Athenacia was still shaking and her temperature had cooled down considerably, having trouble getting air into her lungs with her face pale. The Shield moved once he saw the warning sign, taking hold of her hair and placing that hand on her back. His other hand took her right one for extra support.

Athenacia leaned over and vomited, bile spilling out of her mouth and onto the ground near her feet. Gladiolus took the hand from her back and held it up, stopping both Ignis and Iris from coming any closer to try to help. Dismissing them, he replaced his hand on her back and rubbed it gently up and down. He kept her hair from her face as she let go of another round, gripping his hand tightly while she wretched. Spitting out the last remaining bit, her breaths became slower, remaining hunched over and not quite sure if she was done yet. Gladiolus let go of her back in order to take a glass of water from Ignis, nodding at the man before holding it in front of her face and silently offering it to her. Athenacia placed her lips on the edge of the cup and he leaned it back slowly, allowing her to take a small drink. The doctor heaved, the water moving and more bile spilling from her mouth. This one wasn't nearly as big as the last, indicating that there was no more left after this.

Again, he held the water to her and this time she took it with her own free hand and she swished it around in her mouth before spitting it in her vomit pile, taking another drink. Handing him the cup, she wiped her face clean and frowned in disgust at the bile on her hand, holding it far from her face as she sat up a little. Gladio met her gaze then, the realization of him being there finally registering to her while she hadn't released her grip on his hand and he patiently waited for her to be ready. It wasn't long before she averted her eyes in shame and he placed the cup down on the ground, helping her to her feet. Athenacia kept her eyes downcast as he led her away from the haven and toward the water. Once they reached the edge she released her grip upon him and submerged her dirty hand, kneeling down so that her legs were also wet. Gladiolus watched carefully as she cleaned up her face as well, hearing her sigh heavily and keeping her hands on her thighs as she distantly looked out in the sparkling water. The Shield had never seen her like that before and it worried him that she only appeared to be getting worse, recalling the words she had spoken to him at the haven in the thicket. Was there truly no way for her to recover from the horrors of war? Assuming that was what kept her awake at night.

"Doc..." he didn't really know what to say to her.

The girl rose from where she was knelt, shaking her hands and turning to face him. Her left eye was getting better, the purple even more faded and occupying less of her face. The scab on her cheek was flaking off and he couldn't see the wound from yesterday, tucked away in her hairline. Her creamy skin was red from the cold water, and she walked carefully out of it while shivering slightly. Instinctually he enfolded her in his massive arms, her head resting against his bare chest near the bird. Gladio frowned, noting how cold she was not when mere minutes before she was ready to burst into flames. Athenacia was always abnormally warm but during her nightmare... He had no idea how to help her, especially with the way she seemed to be keeping it all to herself. Didn't she realize that she didn't have to?

"I'm sorry," she whispered into him.

He held her tighter, "You didn't do anything," he told her gently.

"I almost puked on your feet," she pointed out.

He shrugged, "I don't care about that."

"You would if I actually hit you," she attempted to lighten up the mood.

"No," he murmured, kissing the top of her head.

Gladiolus released her, bringing his hands to rest on either side of her face. Athenacia looked up at him and he could see that she was uneasy, making his frown deeper while wishing that she would let him help her with this. Sometimes it seemed she was more stubborn than he was. What was she so afraid of? Didn't she know by now that he wasn't going to hurt her? Why was she hiding?

"Doc, I hate seeing you like that," he said finally.

"Sorry," she dropped her gaze.

"No I," he grunted trying to form the words, "You need some help, you felt like you were literally on fire."

"Did I hurt you?" her attention snapped to him.

The fear on her face caught him off guard. Her breath was getting quicker and he could feel her heart rate increase with the veins in her neck. Tears began to form in her eyes as she desperately waited for him to answer her question, ready to collapse in anguish if he said the wrong thing. Why was she so scared? It was almost like she knew she could cause harm to someone with what happened, as if something like this had happened before. None of that even made sense.

"What? No, Doc, no one's hurt-" he began, confused

"Thank the Gods," she said with a huge sigh of relief.

"Why did you think-"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

"Hold on, what are-"

"- scare you. It's nothing I'm fine-"

"Slow down, I-"

"-just thought that maybe there some lasting damage-"

"Doc, wait a sec-"

"-wasn't sure if I'd have the right antidotes and-"

"I can't understand-"

"-definitely not the tools to treat unknown ailments-"

"Athenacia!" he shouted finally, stopping her in her tracks.

He had her full attention, the shock evident all over her face. Gladio  _never_ used her real name, not even the simplified "Cia", but it seemed that it was the only way to slow her down. The girl was tumbling words out faster than he could even react and all he wanted was for her to relax. He didn't even know what to say to her, too many things racing through his mind. At least she was alright, however, he knew that she would be better if she had confided something in him, allowed herself to lean on him just as she made it very clear she was there for him. Sighing, he rubbed his thumb along the scabbed cut on her cheek before letting his hands drop, holding her gaze as she waited for him to say something, anything - because she was increasingly worried the longer he was silent. Gladiolus sorted through his thoughts, trying to find the best way to form the words he wished to speak. Unfortunately, he was not a master like Ignis. It was always hard when it came to her, he much preferred teasing her, that was simple.

"Listen Doc," he began, still unsure of himself.

The Shield sighed, still keeping his gaze on her. There were still tears waiting to fall in her eyes, clearly holding her breath in anticipation for him to speak. It was moments like these he wished he was better at communicating how he actually felt. He was good with people but not when it came to emotions, far better with actions.

"You're not alone. If you need help, let me help you. I want to..."

She shook her head sadly, looking down, "I'm not going to distract you from your job."

He frowned, "You're not a distraction," he said firmly, taking her chin with his hand and gently lifting it so that she was facing him, "It's you and me, remember?"

Gladio watched the conflict swirling in her eyes. The walls he was desperately trying to hammer through were beginning to crack. Athenacia was having trouble letting them fall but he was getting there, far too stubborn to quit on them anytime soon and knowing that he could break them down completely. It was a slow process, one that he was fully willing to take on until the very end. What could have happened to make her so weary of allowing him into her life? Who had hurt her so badly that she couldn't fully repair herself? How was he supposed to make her realize that all of it was unnecessary? She wanted to let him in but for whatever reason, she was afraid to do so.

Finally, she just nodded once at him, despite hiding behind her own defences.

"You and me," she repeated lightly, a tear falling from her faded purple eye.


	45. Misdiagnosed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much! I wish i was getting these up faster, I'm excited!

The morning progressed a lot smoother once Gladiolus and Athenacia had returned from the river. The girl blanched at the sight of her own vomit pile, to which Ignis tasked Gladio to smooth away with water. Happy to comply, the young doctor was forced into a chair in order to rest. It wasn't just the vomit that made her sick, it was the sight of a burn mark in the chair she was sleeping in and she was hoping that no one had taken notice of it, assuming it had happened sometime with the fire popping. Averting the stern gaze of Ignis, she merely accepted the cool drink of honey and ginger for her nerves and kept her attention to her patient. That man likely suspected something of her anyway and Cor wouldn't want him asking questions. At least Prompto was feeling much better, his concussion had taken a big turn in the right direction. When Athenacia had a moment, she put on a pair of latex gloves and started probing around. The swelling had gone down considerably and his conversation wasn't as delayed as yesterday. Okay, so she cheated a little while he slept but no one really needed to know that. His vitals were normal and she took note of it all before she was again forced into a seat to try and relax.

Noctis had made his appearance as well, just as breakfast was ready. Athenacia noted that he looked much better than last night when they had spoken, smiling briefly at him and he gave her a small nod before accepting a plate of food from Iris. The girl happily sat beside him in a chair, leaving Gladiolus the only one without a seat, a problem that he solved quite easily. Handing Athenacia his plate of food left her curiously holding both meals and it was far too late for her to stop his actions when she realized what was happening. Gladio lifted her easily out of her seat and then placed her on his lap once he took the chair from her, making her squeal and face turn that familiar shade of crimson at his actions, wondering how she miraculously hadn't managed to spill either of their breakfast.

"Thanks, Doc!" said the Shield, taking his plate with a grin.

Athenacia had no words, still in stunned silence at what just happened while Prompto was laughing at her red face, wasting no time in gathering his camera to capture the moment. It wasn't until far too late that she had snapped out of it and sighed. That boy was always getting her most embarrassing moments it seemed. Gladiolus kept that grin on his face, the other three in their own world of a conversation, however, the morning would end and when it did the time to hit the road was upon them. Everything was cleaned, packed and ready to go in what seemed to be record time. Once everything was ready, Gladio took his spot in the driver's seat of her truck. The doctor struggled to open the passenger door, groaning in frustration at its refusal to comply with her wishes. Glaring at the Shield who began to laugh instead of helping her, she gave up entirely and climbed into the bed with a huff. Gladio opened the back winder, enabling her to hear him laughing at her. Athenacia groaned again, putting her back to him and crossing her arms as she pointedly looked away.

"Come on, Doc, I'll help you," he said between laughs.

"I'm fine right here, thank you," she said curtly, keeping her gaze on the water.

The Regalia drove away, leaving the two of them where they were. Athenacia watched as it got further, wondering why he was still sitting here. There was no reason to be sitting here, she was fine on the bed of the truck.

"I'll open the door for you," offered Gladio.

"I'm fine. You better get going or we'll get left behind," she replied.

"I'm not moving until you're up here."

"You don't need me in there."

"I'll get lonely."

"Then you should have gone in your fancy car."

"Come on, Doc, get up here."

"No thanks."

"Don't make me come back there," he warned.

She scoffed, "You wouldn't! We're falling behind."

"We'll be even further behind if you make me get out of this seat."

"How do you figure?"

"Because if I have to come back there I'm going to take my time getting you up here."

Her head snapped to meet his gaze. Gladiolus was giving her that wolfish smile and it made her feel heat on her cheeks. Athenacia held her glare though, neither of them moving. The longer they stayed like this the further away the others would get. She also knew that he would make good on his promise, she just wasn't sure whether or not she wanted him to or not. There was no denying it was long overdue, she craved him, however, her logic stopped her from giving in to her whims. The last thing she wanted was the others coming back to check on what was taking them so long. Finally he removed his gaze from her, opening the door and she grew scared.

"Okay, okay!" she conceded, stopping him in his tracks.

Gladiolus smirked, closing the door as she moved to open the window as far as it could. Tossing in her med bag first, she then placed her sheathed weapon on the seat. Finally, she put her arms through the window, pulling herself in. When her upper body was in, she rolled to get her legs there as well and was startled by a swift swat on her left rear cheek.

"Gladio!" she seethed through her teeth as she moved to sit.

He only laughed at her, "Just thought I'd give you a hand."

Athenacia growled at him while he continued to laugh, starting the engine and taking off finally. Turning her gaze away from him again, her face turned red at his actions and she kept her feet on the dash since there was no room for them on the ground. When the Regalia came into view she was able to relax a little, dropping her hands and leaning back in her seat. They were quiet during the drive, Athenacia shutting her eyes tightly. The sun was out and the skies were clear but the rays were hurting her head, rubbed her sinuses above her eyes and wincing at the pain she felt. Lying down and burying her face in her arms was a nice reprieve, smiling when she felt Gladiolus's hand come to rest on her shoulder. Moving it to help block out the light from her eyes, she kept her hand on top of his while he drove, absently wove designs into his skin. That seemed to alleviate the pain and she internally sighed with content. Before long she was dozing, keeping herself conscious but letting her eyes rest in order to ease her pain.

As the time passed she started to feel nauseous. There seemed to be a pulsing wave of dizziness coming from just behind her right ear. Wincing, she sneaking her fingers underneath Gladio's massive hand and rubbed behind the source. It calmed her down a bit, however, she felt herself have a heat flash, trying to remember something important about that spot. Another wave of nausea hit her and she felt sweat coat her entire body. The pulsing only got worse, leaving her light headed and the pain in her sinuses was returning, her face distressed at what she was feeling.

"Doc, you're really warm, you okay?" asked Gladiolus.

He removed his hand, which was almost drenched in her sweat. Looking down briefly, he noted how she covered her face at the light. It wasn't like this morning, she felt more feverish now, like she had caught a cold. He waited for her to answer as she remained still.

"I think I just need some air," she said finally in a light voice.

He nodded, "I'll take care of it."

Athenacia heard him honk the horn - probably to get the attention of the others - before feeling him begin to decelerate, pulling over off the road. She had no idea where they were but once the engine was off she slowly peeled her hands back from her face. The sun rays were still hurting her sinuses but lack of movement helped her nausea and dizziness. Slowly she got up, reaching for the door handle in order to get out. Of course the thing wouldn't budge and she sighed in exasperation, hearing Gladiolus vacate his seat. There was no sense in wasting time so she exited on his side. Gladio stood, not touching her but ready to steady her if need be. The physician caught the curious glance of Ignis while Iris, Prompto and Noctis were looking over the railing at the ocean. Athenacia carefully made her way over there, breathing in the fresh air and feeling her nausea subside. Gladiolus stayed close to her and she wished Ignis would stop staring at her. Clearly he didn't trust her and he had every right not to, however, not for the reasons he was probably conjuring up in his mind.

"Are you ill?" asked the bespectacled man finally.

"No, I think I misdiagnosed," she lied quickly, "My symptoms are that of a mild concussion."

"How did you miss that?" asked Gladiolus.

"Carelessness. I was so focused on Prompto I wasn't really giving myself much thought beyond my obvious physical wounds."

It was sound reasoning and convinced the Shield. Ignis, however, seemed suspicious still but chose not to comment on the matter. At some point they were going to have to confront each other, luckily she had been avoiding most topics of her origin long enough she was adept in it. The doctor wasn't really worried about him figuring out that she was some kind of monster, however, the Imperial spy theory was still at large - though the fate of Athenacia Virum hadn't actually been revealed into the media, she figured that some people might have blamed her for what happened in the Crown City. None of that even mattered, she always had Cor on her side and only a fool would openly defy him.

"Sorry, I just need a minute," she said, hating that she was holding them up.

"Take all the time you need," replied Ignis.

Athenacia smiled at him before he turned his attention elsewhere, leaving her with Gladiolus looking out at the sea. Sighing, she slumped down to her knees, trying to calm down her panic attack. The pulsing behind her right ear had ceased for now and her nerves were getting better, almost as if it were a shot of epinephrine. There were other people enjoying the view: two off to her right and two on the left. The girl leaned her forehead on her hands, that were still grasping the railing. Gladio was a tower over her, hovering protectively despite no danger around them. Her body temperature was lowering, she no longer felt coated in any sweat. The breeze rustled her hair on her back, reminding her that she hadn't bothered to put it up this morning and her bangs were stuck to her forehead from her previous perspiration. Her skin cooled down, forming goosebumps all along her bare arms and she took in a large breath, the nausea finally going away. Those sensitive ears of hers perked up when she heard the men beside her talking.

"Heard about the Imperial base?"

"Yeah, some Lucians went in and raised hell!"

"They raised hell alright! Put the base commander in the hospital."

"I heard that was Athenacia Virum."

"The Imperial spy?"

"Yeah, that one. After she brought down Insomnia she ran back to her masters. The Lucians caught up with her but she turned on her own men to try and keep up her cover."

Athenacia's grip on the railing tightened. She had no idea it was this bad, that the rumours about her had come this far. So she was blamed for the complete fall of the city, she had thought that maybe it would have died down by now, or that she would have been kept out of other mouths. Where did they even get the idea that she was anywhere near that base anyway?

"What does she even want?"

"The downfall of the royal family. The Prince is alive somewhere and still her target."

"The Immortal is stupid to trust her."

"One day that bitch will get what's coming to her."

"Wish it were someday soon."

Athenacia kept an angry frown on her face, absently she moving her hair so that it was hiding the identifying scar on her neck. Gladiolus lifted her from her knees gently, keeping an arm around her shoulders while she tried to make herself as small as possible.

"Let's get out of here," he said in disgust.

She didn't respond but allowed him to lead her back towards her truck.

...

The drive toward Caem continued with Athenacia still feeling sick to her stomach but not the same way as before, now she was just sick knowing she was the scapegoat of the Lucians. Absently she fingered the scab on her left cheek, the one that had started to peel away in some places. The one she had gotten from Caligo after saving a crowd of Lucians from his wrath. There was nowhere she could go without being reminded of the monster she truly was. No one even knew what she looked like, they were just making it up as they went along. In troubled times people always looked for someone to blame. Perhaps that was her punishment after what she had done all those years ago. Internally sighing, she kept her gaze on the ocean, slouching with her legs up on the dash. She couldn't even enjoy the calm beauty of it after what happened earlier, feeling Gladiolus take her hand away from her face and keep it within his own.

"Doc," he called to her gently.

Athenacia didn't wish to acknowledge him, the words of those men still running through her mind. She didn't need his sympathies, hated that she even let any of this get to her. She was better than this and she knew it.

"Hey," he squeezed her hand slightly.

"What?" she replied, a little coldly without meaning to.

"You can't-"

"I don't want to talk about it," she cut him off, taking her hand back.

Gladio frowned, glancing at her briefly. The physician crossed her arms over her chest with that same scowl on her face staring out the window. It was a shame such a beautiful sight was being wasted with hurt feelings. Times like these he wished there was something he could do for her. Back in the Crown City, it was a lot easier to distract her from those kinds of people, however, things were a lot different now. Not only were they not in the City but she was being blamed for the treaty going awry; a treaty that she wasn't anywhere near, a life that she walked away from after the first time. In the city she could live as normal a life as possible and her walls crumbled a lot easier. Now they were back up in full force. It seemed that once he had managed to break through they just rebuilt themselves and stronger than before. Certainly it was a challenge to keep at them, but he wouldn't quit.

"No one that matters believes that," said Gladiolus.

"I said I don't want to talk about it," she repeated curtly.

"I just wanna make sure you know that."

Athenacia looked over at him, the scowl fading from her face. The man had his eyes trained on the road and she was able to see how her distress appeared to bother him. This wasn't the first time she had seen that look before, tearing away her gaze and internally sighing at her own behaviour. It would be foolish to fight someone on her side, she had done enough of that as a youth so she relaxed her defences. The day was growing later and she could see a large lighthouse come into view. It was Caem, meaning their journey together was ending. All the hardened feelings she had dropped with that realization. Last time they parted ways it didn't end well and she didn't want that to happen again this time. Now more than ever she wanted to be close to him.

Shifting over to where he was, she sneaking her hand into his own and leaned her head on his shoulder while keeping her eyes distant as they once again found the lighthouse. A wave of sadness burst through her, as she squeezed his hand tighter. After all the time since the fall of the city and all the isolation she put herself in she was happy that Cor forced her on this journey; that she was able to spend the time with Gladiolus, restoring the hurt feelings and fixing the issues in their universe. Athenacia watched as the Regalia began to slow down, the brake lights shining back at them and the Shield followed suit, pulling over just as they finished crossing the bridge. Curious, she sat up as he turned off the engine before opening the door. It was odd to stop when they were so close, however, if it meant more time with him she wasn't going to complain. Walking to the front of the truck, she leaned against the hood as she waited patiently for their next move.

"What's up?" asked Gladiolus.

"I want a better view of the ocean!" said Iris excitedly.

"It is going to be dark soon, finding shelter would be the best course of action," mused Ignis.

"Camping again?" groaned Noctis.

"You got a problem with camping?" challenged Gladio.

Athenacia smiled. Obviously, this was a very frequent discussion on their journey. Noctis opted to not engage, which may have been smart on his part. Regardless, settling down for the night was the decision. The doctor didn't mind, happy to spend more time with them since they were basically a hop and skip away from their destination. Grabbing her med bag and weapon, she purposely avoiding the passenger door of the truck, certain it wouldn't open for her anyway and she really wasn't interested in frustrating herself for no reason. Memories flooded her as she followed them down the stairs, Iris getting excited once they made their way toward the shore. Athenacia stopped a moment, as the sun was getting lower to the horizon. The sky wasn't orange yet but it would start soon, a peaceful view of the water finally and then looked on toward the lighthouse solemnly. A sad smile passed across her lips, those earlier feelings of sorrow returning at the inevitable separation she would face once they arrived. An arm snaked around her shoulders and she looked up to see Gladiolus standing next to her. The others were walking away, Iris along the shore with Noctis and Prompto. Before they go too far, she allowed the large man beside her to lead her away, still keeping his arm about her.

There was a haven right near the waterfront, a place she had been to once before that she remembered. On top of that, the Prince had the perfect place to catch them some dinner. Iris and Prompto were happily enjoying watching him fish, something the young doctor did not understand at all, however, she helped set up camp, just as the sun was starting to turn the sky a vibrant orange. Once she was finished, Ignis busied himself with getting dinner ready while Gladiolus had a fire going and that's when she decided to take off her boots. Running her fingers over her shin, the scab from the drill hole was starting to flake away like her other lacerations.

Rising from her seat, she took a look at the water and smiled at the young ones fishing, taking in all the sights before her. Athenacia wished to store them in memory, not wanting to lose this feeling as the lighthouse still to loomed over her. Sighing, her gaze moved down the coast, beckoning to her. Hopping down from the haven, she walked toward the shore, allowing the water to hit her feet. The sun was just above the waterline, and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Smiling, she began to walk away, completely engrossed in her thoughts as the jagged and rocky ground beneath the water forced her to keep her balance. Athenacia thought about Caligo and where he would be once he healed, thought about Ardyn, the Imperial Chancellor that had chased her around the country. Their last meeting had left her nothing but confused about her own origins and while she couldn't trust that man at all - anything he said - she wanted to know his truth, wanted to know what about her was so special to them. More than ever, she wished to meet her mother, the woman absent from her life. Would she even know that her child was still alive? Her hand absently went to her neck, the missing necklace there. The doctor sighed again, wishing that Cor were here so she could speak with him. He had to know what was going on, and had to know something more than he was telling her. All her life she was certain he was keeping things from her, yet he avoided questions so that he could never lie to her.

Athenacia screamed when she felt herself being lifted off the ground. She was met with the smiling face of Gladiolus, who firmly had an arm around her shoulders while holding her legs up at the knees. Relaxing, she let his warm feeling spread through her body, remembering the last time he had held her like this. Well, she tried not to get further into that night, but the start of it was alright. Wrapping her small arms around his neck, she pulled him for a kiss, wishing that their time together could be extended somehow. A content sigh escaped her as she leaned her head against him, her forehead just under his jaw and she breathed in his familiar scent.

"What are you doing out here?" asked the physician, looking up at him

"You looked lonely," answered Gladio.

"I assure you I was not lonely."

"You don't have to lie to me Doc, I know you get lonely without me."

She laughed, "The ego it just never fades, does it?"

"What would you do without it?"

"Live peacefully I think," she smirked.

"Watch it, or you'll end up in the ocean."

"Sounds like a better time than entertaining your ego."

He shrugged, "You're the boss," he began to walk deeper into the water.

"What?!" her eyes widened, moving to look at him, "No! Gladio, I was kidding!"

"Sounded pretty serious to me, Doc," he grinned at her.

"Honestly, I'm not interested!"

"I gotta make you wet one way or another."

Athenacia sputtered as her face turned a very dark shade of crimson. The man only laughed at her as they were up to his knees in the water and she held onto him tighter, not wanting to go in. Keeping the grin on his face, his hand around her shoulders dropped so that he could dig his fingers into the sensitive flesh at her ribs. Her resolve was much higher than the last time he had gotten her to detach from him, however, he still won in the end, struggling as she desperately tried to take control of herself.

"Gladio! No!" she shouted once he had finally succeeded.

Her body plunged into the water with a huge splash, Gladio keeping the grin on his face and waited for her to emerge so he could see her disgruntled look. The sun was low enough that he couldn't see her through the surface of the water and she was taking her time to get back up. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, the waves grew calmer with each passing second and there was still no sign of her. Taking a step forward, he could feel the jagged edges on his feet and wanted to make sure she hadn't smacked her head, certain he was far enough in that rocks wouldn't have affected her. Before he could conduct his search, something small jutted into the back of his knees. It was quick and he had no choice but to fall into the water as well, taken completely by surprise. Surfacing quickly, he saw Athenacia swimming to shore, leaving him in the wake of her laughter. She wasn't getting away with that. Gladiolus easily caught up to her, grinning at the squeal she released when he grabbed her ankles and pulled her body toward his, letting his knees touch the sharp rocks to steady himself. The girl was still struggling, however, he managed to wrap his arms around her, holding her wrists as they crisscrossed against her chest. Athenacia was still giggling as he kept a tight hold on her against him.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

She only laughed harder, "I'm a doctor, Gladio, I know all the weak spots."

"You'll have to show me someday."

"After what you just did? You'll be lucky if you get to see me doctor at all."

"See you doctor?" he quirked a brow.

She giggled again, "Just trying to dumb it down for you to understand."

He brought his lips to her neck, capturing the flesh there, "Don't make me punish you," he said in a low and very husky tone.

The excitement within her jolted awake. Athenacia wanted nothing more than for him to do just that, however, she did not make the same mistake twice. They were in a very similar situation back in the Malmalam Thicket and had been gone long enough, someone would come looking. The sun had almost completely gone down, they were best not sitting around in the dark anyway and she was unarmed. No, the logic knew best, she wouldn't let herself get caught up in her own selfish desires, no matter how hard it was to fight them off. Turning to face him, she tasted him while she could, feeling one of his hands leave her wrist and slowly work its way down toward her abdomen and pull her closer against his body. Gods he was making it so difficult and she allowed him to continue, pushing herself into him as his other hand released its grip and found one of her breasts. The tiniest moan escaped her as his hand was dangerously close to her pant line. When he released her from their kiss he stared at her a moment, taking her in and remembering that dreamy look.

And then he pushed back into the water with a grin.

Gladio was laughing as he rose to his feet beginning to walk away from her. He turned once he heard her growl, only laughing harder at her. Athenacia looked extremely displeased with what had just happened, finding her own feet and attempting to stamp away from him. The actions only caused him to continue to roar, as he gave her left buttock a firm smack on her way by. Growling again, she tried to swat away his hand as she passed by, wishing to get as far away from him as possible.

"Hey Doc," he called after her once his fit of laughter subsided.

"What?" she turned to look at him with her arms crossed.

The Shield walked up to her, keeping that same grin on his face and she didn't falter her glare, truly upset with letting him get to her in the first place. He bent down so that his mouth was close to her ear, the scar on her neck reflecting into his peripherals. Goosebumps formed on her neck as his breath touched her.

"Told you I'd make you wet," he smirked.

Gladiolus roared with laughter again as he pulled away. Although the sun had gone down he knew that her face was extremely red as she sputtered in anger and embarrassment to regain her composure. Finally, she growled again, her fists clenched at her side as she looked at him.

"Y-you wish!" she said in a huff, walking away from him.

The man could only laugh harder at her as he followed her back toward the haven. Along the way, he only put himself further into trouble by stealing handfuls of rear cheeks. Despite her annoyance he felt it was all worth it, thoroughly enjoying her reactions to his teasing - because even if she was glaring at him, he still saw that light in her eyes that slowly began to burn brighter the more he was around her.


	46. The Next Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much!

Gladiolus and Athenacia returned to the haven just in time for dinner to be finished. As they arrived, Gladio kindly offered her his seat but she refused, going all the way on the other end to sit on the ground near Iris. The man only grinned at her while she pointedly ignored him during their meal. No one bothered to ask them why they were soaked; her sour face and Gladiolus's pride seemed to tell them all they needed to know. Instead, Athenacia engaged in conversation with the younger Amicitia, starting to think she was dating the wrong one and extremely aware of his eyes on them the entire time. Iris was purposely sat beside Noctis while the physician found herself again engrossed in a conversation about them growing up in the Citadel together. She enjoyed hearing about how they were brought up, understanding how close they were with every tale she was told. But they were interested in her as well, in how Cor had raised a child without anyone really knowing about her. To her he was just Cor but to them, he was a legend, so fixated on his own duty that there was never time for a family. Once she had started, they were all listening to her speak.

"It wasn't like a family dynamic," she explained, "I lived there but I only really saw him during training. He was a very busy man."

"But he read to you before bed?" asked Prompto with a laugh.

"Yeah, when I was younger. That kind of stopped after he put a weapon in my hand."

"He's never really focused on just one person before," said Noctis.

"I was a bit special. While I was still living in the orphanage there was this really sick baby. I wasn't very old but they couldn't figure out what was wrong and the child was going to die. But I could see the magic ailment. Once the staff told Cor that's when he seemed to take an interest in me."

"You saw a magic ailment?" inquired Ignis.

She nodded, "Yeah. That's sort of my specialty, why I became a medic. I kept a lot of people alive because I could see the magic disruption beyond their physical wounds. Most of it was burns, easy to treat but sometimes I lost patients."

"That's kind of cool," said Iris.

She smiled, "I suppose. I've always been able to do it."

The conversation shifted after that, moving onto Cor's training with them. Prompto had a crash course before he had left the city and Athenacia was impressed that he had passed. It seemed strange, that they all had a connection with this man and he had isolated her from them. For good reason, she was a Glaive with nothing to do with Crownsguard but still, she was shocked she hadn't run into them once given their involvement at the Citadel. The girl wondered if there was a specific reason for it, or if maybe that's just how things went.

The fire continued to burn and dinner was long since gone. The sound of their laughter and the waves crashing onto the coast was all that was heard in this small haven. Athenacia was finally dry after sitting so close to the flames and feeling warm. Grabbing a change of clothes would have been best but she was running out of semi-clean ones and she was still mostly avoiding Gladiolus, catching his looks toward her. The man appeared to enjoy watching her interact with his sister and the Prince and she wondered if maybe he was looking for any signs of her earlier discontent. Holding a small, sad smile, they began to speak of Altissia. That was where they would part ways and it still made her upset to be away from them, from, however, she would not hinder their cause and she couldn't travel with them, she had unfinished business here first. They had to go meet Lady Lunafreya in Altissia and gain yet another blessing of a god. That woman sure did move fast. Athenacia probably would have been there with her had she not left in the middle of the night - though the young doctor would have done the same thing had she the opportunity.

"The tides will turn once we get the Ring," said Gladiolus.

"The Ring?" asked Athenacia confused.

"The Ring of Lucii," supplied Ignis, "Passed down the royal line, a means to summon the old Kings and Queens of Lucis. They judge who is worthy of their power."

"The Oracle has been holding onto it this entire time," said Prompto in awe.

"She means to pass it onto Noct, him being the heir and Chosen King of Light."

Athenacia frowned in thought, "So if they judge who is worthy, it means that anyone could wear it."

"Certainly, though there aren't any alive to tell the tale."

"No right, I get that. But potentially someone with no ill intentions could put it on without being Caelum and still be granted the power should the old rulers deem them worthy? They could utilize the Power of Kings?"

Noctis looked over at Ignis curiously. The Adviser's face was thoughtful as her words swam through his head. No one spoke, the question hanging in the air. No one had really thought about it since the Ring had never before left Insomnia. Now there seemed to be a whole new set of rules to consider, one that they had never even thought of before. Athenacia kept her gaze on him, needing this answer.

"It's not impossible," he said tentatively, "Though I daresay I cannot perceive a likely situation while the Oracle holds it."

"So that's how he did it," replied Athenacia to herself, her eyes going toward the fire.

"What are you talking about, Doc?" asked Gladiolus.

Athenacia looked up at him, her mouth opening and ready to reply only to be stopped. They were all looking at her, waiting for her to elaborate and she frowned in thought, not sure exactly how to begin. None of them ever asked her much about the fall of the city and she didn't want to bring it up, knowing how hard it was for them to see the aftermath of the attack. Iris refrained from speaking as well and it made her wonder how long the young girl was in there to begin with. Surely her father would have arranged transport knowing there was a mole in the Kingsglaive? Heaving a sigh Athenacia knew that eventually, these boys would want to know and given how intent they were on her at the moment, now was probably the best time.

"The day the city fell, I was in the hospital, working. After Tash had died at my carelessness, I went to find Cor. He was on his way inside the Citadel but I stopped him from going," she looked at Noctis, directly into his eyes, "I wasn't kidding. The wall fell, the crystal was taken and they reigned hell on us the second they could. They fell from the sky without stopping and I'm lucky to be alive. But while I was fighting with Cor to get out I lost the use of magic. We both knew what that meant..." she didn't leave his gaze, knowing that he wanted to finally hear first hand what happened to his home, "I was separated from Cor, fighting my way around the hoards of them and I ran into the Oracle. She was with Nyx-"

"Nyx Ulric?" interjected Noctis.

She nodded, "Yeah. He was supposed to get her out of the city but Libertus was also there and he took care of that. Nyx was fighting Drautos-"

"Titus Drautos?" asked Ignis incredulously.

"Yeah he..." she stopped, observing their confused faces, "You don't know..."

"Know what?" asked Gladiolus.

"Cor never told you?" she looked back at the Prince incredulously.

"Told me what?" asked Noctis confused.

"About the mole."

"Mole?" asked Prompto.

"The day before the ceremony, I performed an autopsy on a Glaive, Crowe Altius. I discovered that she had been killed and left for dead by another Glaive by the name of Luche. That only told me that there was a mole within the system. She was killed because she was on her way to escort Lady Lunafreya to Altissia to meet you."

Athenacia's voice was hard, her fist balling in her lap as she glared into the fire. The images came to her mind: of Crowe's lifeless face contorted in agony, the smell of fresh trash about her, the residue she had found on the internal organs. A tear rolled down the doctor's cheek. She never had the time to mourn her loss. The small hand placed on her shoulder told her that Iris was offering sympathies. Bless her.

"I'm sorry," said the young girl.

"She was my friend and she was killed by her own people," said Athenacia in that menacing tone.

"Apologies, but I'm failing to see the relation with Drautos," said Ignis.

"Titus Drautos was the mole. He's General Glauca."

The look on Prince's face made her heart wretch. Athenacia wished she wasn't the one that relayed this information, assuming that Cor would have told them what happened. There was really no reason not to, however, the Immortal didn't bother and she felt guilty because it was likely that he was so focused on her that he was rushing them away so he could start his hunt.

"He killed my father," said Noctis in a very low and dangerous voice.

"He's dead," replied Athenacia in a much similar tone, "Nyx killed him with your own power."

She didn't falter her gaze, wishing she knew what was going through his mind.

"Good," he said finally.

"He was able to use the ring?" asked Ignis.

"For a time. It cost him his life," replied Athenacia, "He was also my friend. They all were, even the ones that turned."

"You were from the same place," said Gladiolus.

"What?" she looked at him confused.

"Galahdans. You were both from Galahd."

She blinked, not understanding him at first, "Right, yeah," she shook her head, "Sorry, I... haven't really had the time to reflect on it all."

"None of us have," said Prompto.

"How were you able to escape?" asked Ignis.

He had that suspicious look to him as he regarded her.

"I don't really remember. There was so much going on after I parted ways with everyone," she replied, putting her gaze into the dancing flames.

He was still unconvinced, "But you remained mobile," he stated.

Athenacia nodded, "It's like I told Iris, I crossed swords with someone I had no business fighting. I don't know who he was or what he wants but I wasn't about to bring danger around everyone else," her voice hardened as she shifted her gaze toward him.

If he had something to say he should have just said it, there was no need for this dancing around like she was too stupid to know he was on to her about something. Athenacia didn't have to tell him anything, had no reason to justify her secrets and she was sure he was keeping his suspicions to himself lest others would start to question her about it. Since there was nothing else, she tore her gaze away and sought the comfort of the flames. No one spoke for a time, the note in the air heavy with grief and deep thoughts. But eventually, Prompto brought them out of their negative reverie. Bless him.

The boys eventually fell into the whims of their phone game. Athenacia had no idea what it was nor did she really care to find out, instead, she looked through pictures with Iris. The young doctor had absolutely no idea how Prompto managed to gather them all, especially during the fighting, however, she was thankful he managed to get mostly her good side, hating that purple eye even though it was fading. Athenacia smiled a little as she observed them. There was one of her with all her chains out back in the thicket. Her arms were across her abdomen, her head down with her eyes closed. He had managed to capture it while she was still in mid-air but right before she touched the ground, it was truly a masterpiece. She came across another one, where she was sat on Gladiolus's lap with her face red as she was looking at her hands and he had that usual grin he wore while teasing her. Another picture where she was sitting in a seat and he was leaning against her legs, her hand on top of his head and buried in his hair while they both dozed.

The last one she observed she spent the most time on. It was from earlier today on their way to this very haven. Athenacia was staring into the distance of the ocean, and Gladio had just come to lay his arm around her. What struck her was the way he was looking down at her. It wasn't that grin he wore while teasing her, it was something else, something that made her heart flutter and her breath catch in her throat. The girl couldn't say she had ever seen someone look at her like that and her hazel eyes left the screen to seek him out. Gladiolus had a smile on his face while he played his game, however, he did meet her gaze, winking at her before going back to his phone. Athenacia bit her lip in that usual nervous manner, feeling the heat on her cheeks and a warm feeling spread through her body as she once again looked down at the picture.

...

The dawn came too quickly for Athenacia. With hardly any sleep gained she was up far too frequently throughout the night. It wasn't her nightmares this time, she knew that today they would reach Caem and the journey together would be over. The morning was crisp and the air was still as the water carefully flowed along, ignoring her thoughts. The girl was sat at the end of the small dock, her feet in the water and the only one awake, watching the stars begin to fade and the sky start to lighten up. The lighthouse was looming over her it seemed, easily able to see it up on the cliff. Footsteps were felt in her hands on the wood and she turned around - only to be met with Gladiolus, shirtless and sandy eyed. Athenacia gave him a small smile before returning her gaze back to the calm water, moving aside so that he was able to sit next to her, his own feet dipping into the water as well. Absently his arm snaked around her waist, his right hand on her thigh but not moving it. She leaned into him, wishing to enjoy as much of his company as possible. The man was tense, which was almost as peculiar as the fact that he was up extremely early, telling her one thing.

"Still having that dream?" she asked lightly.

"Yeah," answered Gladio, "But not for long."

"You figured it out?"

"Think so. We'll find out soon."

Athenacia looked up at him, wishing to know what he was thinking. She wouldn't pester him for the information because he never did that to her. Those amber hues were distant, his thoughts plaguing him as he looked out into the ocean. Smiling slightly, she brought her lips to him, planting a gentle kiss under his jaw where his neck met with the bone. The coarse hair prickled her lips but she didn't mind in the slightest. Gladio met her gaze and she felt that same flutter in her heart from the previous night. The way he was looking at her seemed much more intense now that she could see it for herself. Pulse quickening, he pulled her closer and she kissed him once more.

The rest of the morning was quiet. They broke down their camp with minimal words before walking back toward the area where the vehicles were parked. It seemed that none of them wished to end the journey just yet but there was no choice. Moving forward was the only option, they had taken long enough to get here in the first place. So they moved but at a slower pace it seemed. Once everything was packed away, Athenacia got into her truck from the driver's side. Gladiolus took the driver seat and began to follow the Regalia once again. The girl sat against him, keeping her small hand in his own and her head against his shoulder. They entered a tunnel almost immediately, unable to see how much closer they were getting. Coming back into the sunlight made her squint, a small pulsing beginning from behind her right ear. Rubbing it absently, her heart dropped when she saw how much closer the lighthouse was. Once they crossed the bridge then that would be it and it felt that was happening far too fast. As soon as they began to slow down after exiting she internally sighed. This was it.

Athenacia saw the big truck used from Hammerhead, knowing the logo well. Gladiolus pulled up beside it, staying a fair distance from the Regalia as he parked. It was a few moments longer before she released his hand for him to turn off the engine looking over at her and offering a sad smile. The man knew as well that this was where they would part ways, handing her the keys before opening the door and stepping out. Grabbing her two bags and her weapon to bring with her where she would be staying, she exited the vehicle and fell in step with the Shield as they began their ascent toward the massive lighthouse. If anything, she was sure the view up there would be spectacular. Cindy, the young girl Athenacia had likely known longer than anyone she could think of aside from Cor, was waiting for them as they arrived. There was a smile on her face despite the dirt there and she happily greeting them with a compliment to the Regalia.

Immediately Athenacia noticed the look of enamour take over Prompto's face. It made her smile as they followed her up toward the lighthouse. The doctor listened as they spoke of the boat that was in dire need of repair. It seemed they wouldn't be setting sail for Altissia just yet and part of her was a little happy about that, however, it was decided that the boys would leave to find the last piece of the puzzle, Mythril. Where they were going to get it was unheard of just yet but at least Athenacia could spend some more time with them before they left. They were still walking toward the lighthouse but then detoured to the right. The physician was able to see a house sitting there, big enough for refugees that had come from Lestallum. Off to the left was a garden started and people wandering around. So this was where she was going to stay until she met up with Cor, until she could take the next step forward in her own journey. At least there would be work to keep her busy.

"TIA!"

Athenacia's attention snapped toward the source of the noise, hazel hues softening at the sight before her. A very excited Talcott was running as fast as he could from the house toward her. Tossing her weapon and bags aside, she dropped to her knees gently. The young boy was closing in on her and she kept her eyes on him, ready. When he finally was close enough he jumped at her, throwing his little arms around her neck. Athenacia was ready for it, enfolding him in her arms and falling backward with a dramatic grunt. She held him tightly once her back hit the ground, rolling down the hill a few feet before ending up on her back again. The girl was almost a starfish while the boy giggled at her, sitting up over her. Through lidded eyes she was able to decipher where he was, and by the sound of his giggles as she kept her head to the side.

"Get up, Tia," said Talcott between laughs, shaking her slightly.

"I can't I'm dead," she replied, opening one eye and then closing it again.

"What?"

"I'm dead, I can't get up."

"No you're not," he continued to giggle at her.

"I am too!" she looked at him sharply.

"How?"

"I was slain, by the mighty Talcott!" she held the back of her wrist to her forehead in a dramatic pose

He laughed harder at her, "But you can't be dead!"

"Oh? And why not?" she dropped her arm.

"Because dead people can't talk!" he insisted.

"Are you a doctor?" she asked him seriously.

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

"Because you told me!"

"What? I did not!"

"You did!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, you taught me that Tia!"

Athenacia smiled warmly at him as he continued to giggle at her. Gladiolus observed them from where he stood. Her bags and weapon were at his feet and she was still on the ground while Talcott was sitting over her, pushing her to get up from where she was. The Shield couldn't see any of the grief she carried around with her, only a woman that was untainted by anything she had experienced, that had light in her hazel eyes shining like it never had before - almost as if it had never faded in the first place. Gladio felt something as he watched her, something he wasn't sure he could identify. It only grew stronger the more he fixated on it and he couldn't help but smile as he continued to observe them.

"You have to see what I did!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"What did you do?" she asked, her eyes widening in anticipation.

"No, you have to come see!"

"I do?!"

"Yes! Get up Tia!"

"Okay hurry though because I'm about to lose my mind!"

"You have to get up first!" he giggled at her.

She groaned, "I forgot. Quick, before I lose my mind completely!"

Talcott continued to laugh again, moving off of her. Athenacia rose to a sitting position and he grabbed her hand, pulling her arm eagerly. Using her free hand to get to her feet, she scurried with him passed the others and into the house in the distance. Gladiolus watched them go, keeping that same smile on his face before reaching down and picking up her things, walking toward the house with the rest of them. Cindy had left them beforehand, deciding it was best to get back to the garage.

As they came up to the front door, Gladiolus put down Athenacia's things near the side of the house where Iris was waiting for them. Taking a quick look around, he was satisfied with what he was seeing. They would be safe here, especially with the few Crownsguard that were walking around. There wouldn't be a need to worry as much when he left to take care of his business. It would be better once they got everything all up and running as well but at least now they had a doctor on sight that could see to their needs. The door to the house opened and Athenacia stepped through it, that smile on her face and same light in her eyes still - until she caught sight of all of them. Gladio knew that she didn't want them to leave but she would never voice her thoughts like that. Keeping her gaze on them, she walked down the steps and joined them while they spoke with Iris. The doctor stood in between the siblings and waited patiently for them to finish, knowing they would want to hear what Talcott had told her.

"Jared's notebook said Mythril was up north in a lake," said Iris finally.

"That's the Vesperpool," supplied Athenacia, "The ruins there will have what you're looking for. They're impressive, I've seen the outside of it before. The lady in there," she gestured her head toward the house, "Monica? She said it was under Imperial watch so getting in might not be easy."

"You'll want to be prepared before you go," said Iris.

"Yeah, just give us a second," said Gladiolus, looking over at his sister.

The teen nodded, walking into the house. Athenacia took a step back, noticing her things near the entrance and walked toward it, trying to give him the space that he needed. Hurrying back inside, she placed her little belongings off into the corner, not really having any space for herself. Actually, it dawned on her that she would be very awkward once Gladiolus and the others left. No one inside the Crown City was very friendly to her before the fall and now the rumour was she had been the reason they were all in this predicament. Better to find a place to stay that was far away from their hateful eyes, somewhere outside perhaps.

"Do your thing. Not like we could stop you anyway," she heard Noctis speak as she stepped through the exit.

"You know me too well," said Gladiolus smiling.

"You're leaving," stated Athenacia from the door.

Gladiolus found her gaze, barely taking notice of Noctis and the others vacating, giving them their moment now. The girl walked down the steps and came to stand in front of him, looking up into his eyes. That calm hazel stare pierced through him as always, making it impossible to hide anything from her. She was the only one who knew that there was something bothering him and that he planned on taking care of it. Here she was to see him off, somehow knowing that what he planned to do was dangerous.

"Don't worry, Doc, I won't be gone long," he grinned at her.

She smiled, "Who's worried?"

Gladio was about to say something when Talcott had burst out the door and ran toward her again. The man watched that light return to her eyes while she regarded him, that feeling taking over him once more. Athenacia bent down so that they were eye level.

"Tia I fixed it, come see!" he said excitedly.

"Just give me a minute okay?" she asked him gently.

He nodded, running away back into the house. Gladiolus reached for her, letting his emotions run away with him as he pulled her for a kiss. Keeping his arms around her, he watched her small white teeth capture her bottom lip as she looked away for a mere moment before meeting his gaze once more.

"He got attached to you quickly," said Gladiolus amused.

She shrugged, "He's an orphan. I get it."

"You'll be a great mom one day, Doc," he smiled down at her.

He was expecting a blush, a smile, a scoff, something positive for the compliment. However, he frowned, letting his hands drop in confusion. Athenacia had very lightly gasped, tears welling in her eyes as a crestfallen look took over her delicate features.


End file.
